Angel
by anata
Summary: updated ! chapter 10 up ! Sorry isn't good enough ... what's that supposed to mean ? ( KenshinxKaoru fic ) alternate universe - Kenshin's a millionaire engaged to Megumi ... He's got everything, except for what he truly needs ... an angel ...
1. Kenshin The Corporate Slasher

READ THIS - VERY IMPORTANT  
  
author's notes :  
  
  
before reading, i want to make sure that you know that this is a pro- KAORU & KENSHIN fic ... plus a side romance ( Misao & Aoshi ) ^^ ... but don't worry, it's NOT the sappy/mushy type that would make you want to spill your guts out ... heck, it's a work of art ! ... *dodges tomatoes thrown at her* ...   
  
this is an ALTERNATE UNIVERSE fic ... if you do not know what that means, sigh, let me explain ... the setting is different ( in this case, it's modern, as in present times ... and definitely, there aren't any samurais or anything like that ... but yes, Kaoru still retains her dojo ) ... OOC ( out of character - ness ) is very evident, but hey, it's my fic ...  
  
this ( first ) chapter is actually just the introduction, so as to, ahem ' get to know ' Kenshin ... the actual romance begins in the next chapter, and will totally overflow in the third ... so basically, the first chapter is more focused on misao and kenshin's background ...  
  
i rated it PG 13 because there are a couple of mild swear words ( but definitely there are no *F* words ) ... oh and yes, Kenshin is engaged to Megumi ( only in the start though ... bwahahaha ) - ENJOY !  
  
anata ^ _^   
  
  
  
  
Chapter One - Battousai the Corporate Slasher  
  
  
Kenshin Himura was known as Battousai the Corporate Slasher. His nickname was derived from his ruthlessness when it came to business matters. Fresh out of college, he had taken over the stock market during its lowest point, investing more than he should have despite the whispers of his foolishness by his peers. He was a risk taker; a businessman who used his sharp instincts combined with common sense to eventually become richer than society could have ever imagined.   
  
Ten years ago when Kenshin first started, people had laughed at him. Now, they were all falling over each other in their efforts to gain his approval. Supermodels, actresses, housewives and women of all sorts - even some besotted gay men, all sought to catch his attention. Their advances ranged from seductive winks, all the way to sexy suprises in bed, which weren't unappreciated or unwelcomed by the receiver.  
  
The past few years, he had dated and even brought home some of his ' conquests ', but recently he had begun to tire of this uninteresting game of cat and mouse. She was exactly what he was looking for in a woman. Long ebony colored tresses adorned her delicate face, greatly contrasting her flawless ivory skin. Her lips were red as blood, Kenshin's favorite color. In short, she was a gorgeous, modern day Snow White with long hair. Not only was she beautiful, her IQ and love-making skills rivaled that of Kenshin's. She was a hundred percent sexy, but unfortunately, equally as annoying.  
  
He was rich. He was powerful. He had even been on the covers of such magazines as Time, GQ, and much more. Hell, he was Battousai the Corporate Slasher ! So why the hell was he letting this woman control his life as if he were nothing but a puppet ?   
  
Kenshin sighed in annoyance. Hell, he had no choice.  
  
" Megumi, darling - have you asked your father about his decision concerning the merging of our companies ? I really - "  
  
" I'm sure daddy will agree wholeheartedly as soon as we're married. The merger has been in his mind for quite some time, I'm sure. He's been more worried about our relationship though, after all, he doesn't want anything to happen to me before our wedding night, Kenshin. " , purred Megumi.   
  
Sighing inwardly at her blunt assumption about a marriage which had never even crossed his mind, Kenshin frantically thought of an excuse to leave her presence before anything else happened. With Megumi, a slight nod from him would mean he agreed and in no time flat, she'd have him walking down the aisle and exchanging vows with her.   
  
/ Damn she's hot. I want her, but I'm not crazy enough to marry her just to satisfy my lust. I have no choice though about going out with her. Megumi's father is the key to bringing my company worldwide, and he only listens to her for business advice. Why couldn't the old coot just trust me ? Oh yeah, he's got a stick up his a$$, also know as his daughter. Sometimes I wonder if she's the real brain behind the business. / thought Kenshin to himself.  
  
Kenshin glanced down at his Rolex and feigned surprise. He quickly made up an excuse about his being late for an appointment, and quelled her protests with a short, but steamy kiss on the lips. After paying for the expensive meal, Kenshin sauntered out of the door, pausing only to wave goodbye to his pouting date before entering the waiting limo.  
  
/ I will make him mine, no matter what it takes. Oh yes, and before we get married, I'll be sure to get him a plastic surgeon who will remove that hideous x-shaped scar on his face. / vowed Megumi as she watched his retreating figure, and admired the view his delicious backside provided.  
  
It was true, actually, his excuse about having an appointment, although time of meeting was much later. He was to meet his stepsister Misao, whom he loved and considered as a true blood relation, in the evening, in order to accompany her to her prom. Not that Misao was unattractive or unable to get dates, but both of them knew that the guys who wooed her were usually after the wealth that entailed her brother's massive corporation. Therefore, Kenshin always ascertained that her boyfriend suited his standards, before allowing Misao on dates. The prom, however, was another story. After watching the movie American Pie with Misao, Kenshin had refused to let his sister go to the prom, much less bring a date with her.   
  
After much whining and begging and crying, Kenshin had finally given in, with the condition that he be her date to the prom. He was a sucker for tears; not the fake dainty sobs and tiny trickles of tears that his ex - girlfriends would employ to get him to pay attention to them, but the real thing. His weakness was Misao's trump card.  
  
Indeed it was somewhat embarrassing, having to bring one's brother as a date to the prom, but if the brother was a multi-millionaire with looks that could kill - Misao had no problem with the agreement. She knew that he wouldn't actually humiliate her by doing anything stupid. The worst possible thing Kenshin would do is subject the guys who would attempt to dance with her, with his famous death glare.   
  
/ Okay, so maybe I'm the only one who's bringing her brother as a date. And maybe I'm the only one who's brother has eyes that change colors from purple to amber, when enraged. At least Kenshin's cool - but for a junior high prom ? Hopefully he'll behave. / sighed Misao, crossing her fingers in worry.  
  
Her reverie was interrupted with abrupt knocking on the door. Wondering who could it be, since she was expecting her brother's arrival much later, Misao was pleasantly surprised to find Kenshin at the door. Not only was he there, a whole entourage accompanied him. Make-up artists, body guards, and more, were all gathered at the front porch.   
  
" Come on in Kenken ! " grinned Misao teasingly.  
  
" Hnnn. Don't call me that ! I look nothing like that florist from that flower shop down the street. What was that store's name again ? Kitty in the - I can't remember. Anyway, that's where I bought your corsage. Ahem, being your brother and date for the prom, I expect you to look absolutely fabulous. So I brought along with me some very helpful people. Think of them as your fairy godmothers. "   
  
" What exactly do you mean by that Kenken ? "  
  
" I told you not to call me that. " he growled.  
  
With a snap of his fingers, they all rushed to Misao and physically dragged her and all their equipment and makeup kits, up to her room. Her protests were silenced by the slam of her door, leaving Kenshin alone in the living room. After rifling through a couple of magazines which were filled with fashion articles, boy advice - normal teenager stuff - Kenshin's eyes fell upon the newspapers which had been left untouched by his sister.   
  
" Now this is something I can actually read without killing my brain cells. Damn ! Where are they ? " muttered Kenshin as he paged through the papers.   
  
His eyes came to a rest when he found what he had been looking for. The comics. Making sure that no one else was present in the room, he settled himself on a striped silver and blue bean bag, and began enjoying the so called ' news '. As the minutes passed, Kenshin began fidgeting impatiently. He was about to discard the newspapers when a headline caught his eye.   
  
DOJO OWNER DISCOVERED IN DRUG SCANDAL   
  
What Kenshin found more interesting was the picture that came with it. It showed a woman who looked somewhat similar to Megumi in terms of hair and skin color, but that was where their similarities ended. He was about to read the article when footsteps were heard from above.  
  
Dropping the papers, he looked up in time to be dazzled by the site of Misao. Her normal braided hair was artfully arranged into soft curls which framed her face. Her features were enhanced with the magic of makeup, leaving a goddess in the place of Misao's normal childlike face. Tasteful jewelry adorned her neck and wrist, and her dress … Her dress was absolutely -  
  
" Too skimpy ! There's no way I'm letting you out of the house dressed like that ! "   
  
" I told you he wouldn't allow her to wear that. " whispered one of the make-up artists.  
  
" Shut - up. "   
  
" Kenshin - I want to wear this. C'mon. I've seen a lot of your girlfriends wear much less than what I'm wearing, like Cindy, Elle, Naomi, - " whined Misao, as all the spectators nodded in agreement.  
  
" Remember that time Mr. Himura went out with that woman who wore nothing but that tiny triangular piece of cloth which could have almost been recognized as underwear ? My god, I actually saw her - " added the same make - up artist who had previously spoken up.  
  
" Didn't I already tell you to shut - up awhile ago ? By the way, you're fired. Misao, there's a major difference between my sister and someone I take to bed. Their jobs are to dress like that, while you, you are my sister. "  
  
" Are you trying to say that I'm not as beautiful as them ? Is that it ? " sniffed Misao as tears began welling in her big blue eyes outlined in silver eyeliner. In her mind, she knew victory was near. Just a few more sobs coupled with a wail or two and Kenshin would be putty in her hands. For added effect, Misao was about to let her mascara run when he gave in.  
  
Realizing that his step-sister's stubbornness overpowered his own, Kenshin sighed in defeat. It was useless, really, arguing about a dress with a teenager, on prom night. Nodding in reluctant assent, he sat down on the bean bag once more.   
  
With a shout of glee, Misao hugged her brother and pulled him to his feet. Apparently time had flown by so quickly that it was already seven pm, half an hour before the prom would start. They set off in the limo once more, arriving in time to be considered fashionably late. The hordes of high schoolers enveloped the two, as they were all excited at the prospect of meeting such a famous and rich man. After a couple of glares and threats of ruining their parent's businesses, the people eventually backed off.   
  
As expected, during the course of the dance, Kenshin stayed hidden in the shadows. He would carefully watch Misao and whoever her dancing partner was, occasionally walking over to the refreshment stand to take a drink or two. At the moment, she was resting on one of the stands, tired from all the festivities that had occurred during the past four hours.   
  
Two guys walked by, their glances falling upon Misao's gorgeous frame. One was Jake, the blond captain of the football team with rippling biceps and a brain the size of a pea. In short, he was the embodiment of every teenage girl's fantasy, and every teenage guy's god. The other was a tall exchange student, whose unique, sharply contrasting Asian looks surpassed that of his companion. He was tall, dark and handsome, with an aura of pure confidence that could easily reduced a person's mind and knees to jello. Yet when it came to his lab partner, he was totally tongue - tied.  
  
Narrowing his eyes at blond who was leering at Misao, Kenshin stealthily crept closer, in time to hear a portion of their conversation.  
  
" Yo Shinomori ! Isn't she like totally babelicious ! Like yesterday she was like this total nerd but whoah ! Today she's a total hottie ! Make's me wanna do the bump and grind, dude! If ya now what I mean. Hehe ! But being the totally rad guy, I'll let you go first. " grinned Jake.  
  
Aoshi, the exchange student, grimaced in reply. He was incredibly repulsed by the person beside him, but the teacher had assigned Jake to be his ' guide ' so he didn't have an alternative. He almost didn't recognize the girl as Misao, the cute Japanese girl who had been his lab partner since the beginning of the semester. For days he had working up the courage to ask her out, and now was his opportunity. He wanted to dance with her. He wanted to -  
  
" Nah. I'll take a pass. She isn't sexy enough for me, and isn't she kinda short ? " replied Aoshi, before his mind could even comprehend what he had just said.  
  
Jake laughed so hard that snot came out of his nose.  
  
Aoshi was torn between attempting to kick himself and running away from Jake.  
  
Misao was on the verge of tears.   
  
Kenshin's eyes were turning amber hued. Just as he was about to leap onto the two unsuspecting students, Jake approached Misao.  
  
" Hey babe. I'm sorry about what my buddy said. You're a total babe ! Will you give me the honor of dancing with you Missy ? I love your rad name, by the way. Were you like named after Missy Elliot, babe ? "  
  
Surprised and flattered by the offer, despite Jake calling her Missy, Misao gracefully accepted Jake's hand. As they began, she turned around to chillingly glare at Aoshi, before resuming their dancing. All traces of previous sadness was now replaced by a radiant smile, and any signs of hurt caused by Aoshi's reply was seemingly erased. Aoshi, on the other hand, was miserable.  
  
Kenshin felt somewhat sorry for the dejected guy left standing on his own, but all thoughts of compassion left his mind the moment he remembered Misao's hurt expression after overhearing his reply.   
  
When the dance ended at midnight, Kenshin called out to Misao. As she left Jake's embrace, he whispered something into her ear that made her giggle. After bidding her friends goodbye, Misao then walked towards Kenshin with stars in her eyes. He made no comment, seeing as how she was still enjoying what had happened that night. When they got back to the house, Misao thanked Kenshin before going to sleep. He tucked her in, being the good elder brother that he is, and made sure to check that the house was secure before he left.  
  
/ Sigh. It's back to the business world and Megumi. Sometimes I wonder if it would have been better if I hadn't become rich. Maybe. /  
  
Deciding not to use the limo, Kenshin randomly picked one of the five cars he had bought for Misao on her sixteenth birthday. As he was backing out of the driveway, he noticed flickering lights in Misao's bedroom, which disappeared a second later. Attributing it to his imagination, Kenshin dismissed it from his mind, as he continued to drive.  
  
  
to be continued ...  
  
  
Did you get bored ? Continue on to the next chapter ... i swear that it's way better than this one ... REVIEWS would be highly appreciated - ahem, i meant highly DEMANDED ! ... do a review, OR ELSE ... hmmm, I'll send Kenshin over to you with his lawyer ... " oooh, scary " - ( not the sarcasm ) hehe, just kidding ...  
reviews - reviews - reviews - reviews - reviews - reviews ... PLEASE ?  



	2. Knight In Shining Armor

author's notes :  
  
this is the chapter where things start to get interesting ... that's it ... aren't my notes short ? ... by the way, after reading this chapter, read the notes at the end ...   
  
anata ^_^  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 2 - Knight In Shining Armor  
  
  
He drove for around an hour until the need to go to the bathroom purged his highway fun from continuing. He left the highway using the nearest exit in search of relief.  
  
/ Damn those Kool Aid drinks in the prom. My bladder's about to burst and there isn't a single gas station in sight. / screamed Kenshin's mind frantically.  
  
Just as he was about to lose hope, and control of his bladder, Kenshin spotted a bar. It was a pretty seedy place, littered with bodies of men who had lost in a brawl or had passed out from too much liquor. The parking lot was filled with motorcycles and a rundown car or two. Debating whether or not to enter, he ran in out of sheer desperation.   
A kind, long haired biker pointed him to the men's room, wherein Kenshin was able to finally pee two gallon's worth of Kool Aid out.   
  
When he walked out of the bathroom, the long line of men that had been waiting all glared at him. Their evil frowns were soon turned upside down though when Kenshin nervously offered to pay for a free round of drinks for everyone.  
  
Luckily, no one recognized him as the corporate millionaire. Taking a seat beside the long haired biker, Kenshin ordered a tequila despite his ordeal earlier. He soon got into a heated argument about the usefulness of bombs and hand grenades, ending with an agreement that art, specifically painting, was just dandy. Pretty soon, the two newfound friends were laughing uproariously over their opposite views on politics in general.   
  
The sound of the bar door opening caught their attention, as they watched the arrival of a woman clad in a flimsy peach colored tank top and short, tight black leather skirt which accentuated the curve of her hips. Her walk was sensuous. Her attire sexy. What betrayed her nervousness was the involuntary biting of her lower lip. Nevertheless, she sauntered right in.  
  
All eyes followed the seemingly out of place woman, as she walked up to the bartender and ordered a lime soda. In less than two seconds, she was surrounded by men of all shapes and sizes who were all offering to buy her a drink in exchange for a little something.  
  
" Is she a - ? " asked Kenshin  
  
" Most likely. No decent woman would actually come into this bar. The only ones who do are those 'working', if you know what I mean, or women looking for a good time. " replied the long haired biker, whose name apparently was Tsunan Tsukioka.  
  
/ I don't know why, but she looks so familiar. Who could she be ? / pondered Kenshin.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a brawl erupting. A man wrapped in bandages was threateningly waving a lighter at the group of men near the woman. The bandaged man was yelling something about Yumi being his, as his friend, a man with a receding hairline in a green coat, ran around and broke the bones on peoples fingers. The bikers dispersed, leaving the woman alone with the two seemingly crazed men. A look of combined distress and disgust was clearly marked on her face as the two men's hands kept ' accidentally ' brushing against her.  
  
Maybe it was the influence of alcohol in his system, or possibly the fact that the woman's expression of distress was utterly endearing, that compelled Kenshin to do what he did. Before he knew what he was doing, he had walked right up to them.  
  
" Excuse me Mr. ? I don't think the lady appreciates what the two of you are doing. " asserted Kenshin.  
  
Astonished by the interruption, the three of them faced the direction of where the voice had come from. What they saw surprised them even more.   
  
" Hey little lady, you're looking pretty hot. " murmured the man in the green coat, gently brushing one of his glove encased hands on Kenshin's face.  
  
Sputtering in indignation, Kenshin could only gape in stupefaction at the incredible, though somewhat understandable, misunderstanding.   
  
Regaining her bearing, the woman politely told Kenshin that she could handle the situation. She as well, apparently, had mistaken Kenshin for a woman, and she didn't want anyone else to get involved.  
  
" I'm a man, goddamnit ! " yelled Kenshin at the top of his voice, causing all the people in the bar to turn their attention to him. Without warning, the two men suddenly attacked him, only to find out that he was no longer there. Finding their target once again, the bandaged man pulled out his lighter, as the other guy exposed a knife which had been hidden in his huge hideous green coat.   
  
Kenshin, despite being weaponless, was ready to kick ass. With a couple of kicks and uppercuts, Kenshin was quickly able to dispose of the lighter - wielding opponent, leaving only knife guy to fight with. He turned to face the woman in hopes of gratitude, and was mystified to find a look of distaste on her features. He turned his concentration back to the fight. As he was about to knock knife guy into unconsciousness, the woman grabbed his hand with a look that pleaded for him to stop fighting.   
  
" I can handle this. Now stop acting like some idiotic knight in shining armour. " the woman whispered.  
  
He hesitated. That was all the time knife guy needed to stab Kenshin and lick the bloodied knife.   
  
Pain engulfed Kenshin's body, as blood began pouring out of the wound. Despite the haze caused by the agony of the injury, Kenshin was able to grab a chair and smash it over his opponent's head. Due to the blood less, Kenshin's knees gave way. The last thing Kenshin heard before he passed out, was the sound of police sirens was approaching the bar.   
  
Kenshin awoke to find the faces Tsunan and Hiko, worriedly peering down at him. Hiko Seijuro, a local policeman, had been a close friend and fatherly figure to Kenshin and Misao, ever since their parents had passed away. He was, in fact, the reason why Kenshin felt secure enough to allow Misao to live on her own, with only a few household helpers and bodyguards around.   
  
" According to the witnesses in the bar, Kenshin, you are a hero. I don't need to ask you any further questions, since everyone testified to the other two being the cause of the brawl and the damage. Next time though, use more caution. You were pretty lucky that no internal organs were punctured. The medics have already patched you up, but they suggested that you stay off your feet for a couple of days and let the wound heal properly. Just remember, if anything had happened to you, Misao would be left alone. " reminded Hiko with a look of concern on his face.  
  
" You should have told me what you were planning on doing and I would have backed you up or something. Plus that girl wasn't worth it. She didn't even bothering thanking you. Right after you passed out, she just walked right out. " added Tsunan.  
  
With Tsunan's help, Kenshin was then able to stand up. Groggily, he thanked Tsunan for his help, and headed for his car as small jolts of pain echoed throughout his body.   
  
/ What the hell was that woman's problem anyway ? It's her fault I got into this mess. If she hadn't interrupted me with that look, I could have easily finished them off. It's her fault that she's so … beautiful. What the hell am I thinking ? / admonished Kenshin's semi-drugged mind. / It's the painkillers I guess. /  
  
Wondering whether he was physically and mentally able to continue driving, he suddenly caught sight of her. She was walking swiftly towards a nearby motel, after having made sure that her name wasn't involved in the bar fight. Kenshin did what only a half-conscious, semi - drugged, intrigued man would do. He followed her, at a safe distance, of course. He went up to the door of her room, pausing to consider whether what he was doing was influenced by his pride or the drugs. Either way, Kenshin knocked on the door, noting that the room number was 109.  
  
Cautiously, she opened the door. When she saw that it was the same man with the x - shaped scar on his face she had met in the bar, she hurriedly tried to slam the door in Kenshin's face. He used his foot to prevent the door from closing. Realizing that there was no way she could forcibly prevent Kenshin from entering, she changed tactics.  
  
" If you don't leave right now, I'm calling the police. " she threatened, her voice slightly quavering in fear.  
  
" The police are on my side. I'm sure you saw that as you spied on what happened afterwards. I'm the hero. I'm the one who saved you from those two. I - "  
  
" You did nothing ! I had the situation totally under control and you stepped right up and ruined it. Do you actually think I'd enter a situation like that without some sort of protection ? I brought pepper spray and I was ready to use it in case they actually tried something. "   
  
Kenshin smirked.  
  
" Pepper spray ? They would have had you on the floor in two seconds flat. One of them would probably have pinned you down while the other would have slowly lifted that tiny skirt of yours and - "   
  
" Stop it ! I'm really going to call the police if - "  
  
The fear in her voice eventually got to him. He hadn't meant to scare her or to let things get this far. He just wanted to get to see her again, but the situation was getting out of hand. There was just something about her that disturbed him. No one else had ever been able to lose his temper and control. She was doing one hell of a job. What scared him most was the fact that he cared about her, a total stranger.  
  
" I'm sorry. " he muttered dizzily, as he suddenly felt the world spinning around him.  
  
" I really will if - What ? What did you just say ? "  
  
" It's the painkillers. After I got stabbed and all, I lost a lot of blood. I'm sorry, I wasn't really going to do anything to you. My mind's just really woozy right now, and when I saw you, I just snapped. "  
  
" You got stabbed ? " she asked, as her eyes widened in surprise.   
  
During that time, she had been to busy looking for her pepper spray, to notice that knife guy had indeed plunged a knife into Kenshin's body. Still somewhat suspicious, she slowly started to close the door, inch by inch. Before she could react, Kenshin collapsed in a heap, preventing her from closing the door.  
  
  
to be continued ...  
  
the next chapter's gonna be reeeeally romantic ... you better look forward to it coz i won't be uploading it yet ... i want to see first how many reviews i get ... honestly, if no one is reading my fic, why would i bother continuing it eh ? it would be a waste of time ... and so, pleeeease do a review ... none or few reviews tell me that no one likes it, so no reviews = no more new chapters ... sigh, i'm not being cocky about my fic ... i just want reviews !   
  
you may be wondering who tsunan ( long haired biker ) is ... tsunan is sanosuke's artist friend who was shown in the earlier episodes of the series ... yep, the guy who wanted to blow up the government ^_^   
... if you've watched the kyoto arc, then i'm sure you know who i'm ' lighter' ( who else is bandaged and is obsessed with fire ? ) guy and 'knife' ( the latter's main henchman ) guy are ...  
  
  



	3. The Choices We Make

READ THIS - very long but important  
  
author's notes :   
  
wahahaha ! i have received sufficient reviews to continue with the story, although *pout* i was hoping for more ( comments / criticisms ) ... and so, TA DA ! ... sigh, it's not like i have the whole story finished and am just sloooowly uploading it on the net ... heck, i slave away in front of the monitor typing my brains out ... do you have any idea how hard it is to have the whole plot in your head but have difficulty putting it into words ?   
  
WARNING - this chapter is one of the reasons why my fic is rated PG - 13 ... well, i think it is anyways ... ahem, don't worry, no graphic sexual scenes, nothing perverted whatsoever ( although i have nothing against lemons, *cough cough* ) ... but definitely this is NOT your normal " he kissed her on the cheek " yadiyadiya ... it's very, ummm, descriptive, if you know what i mean ... *waggles eyebrows* ...   
  
This chapter was made specifically for the Kenshin & Kaoru ( couple ) fans, such as myself ... it's veeery romantic, so it can either turn you on, or make you want to run to the bathroom and barf ... sorry if you're one of the ones turned off ... for those who read it, you may think that nothing much happened in this chapter ... but as the story progresses ( later chapters ) you'll realize the importance of what happened in here ... for all Kaoru + Kenshin fans out there, ENJOY ! ... those waiting for Misao & Aoshi, pls. just wait a bit more ... just a tiny bit more ... honestly, this is the first time for me to write a very descriptive romantic scene, so pls. bear with me ...   
  
oh yeah, before i forget to remind you peeps ( readers ) ... don't forget to read the notes at the end of the chapter ... veeery important as well ... don't forget to do a review ... i mean, how long would it take to type a couple of words and press submit ?   
  
i forgot to mention in the previous chapters that I do not own rurouni kenshin, nor do i own any of the characters and all ... plus, i'm not a good target for lawsuits coz, well, i don't own anything ...   
  
anata ^ _^   
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Three - The Choices We Make  
  
  
  
/ What am I supposed to do ? For all I know he's a psychopathic killer with a past bloodier than a butcher shop, but I can't just leave him lying there. After all, he did get injured because of me. Wait, what if he's just faking it ? Maybe I can wake him up and convince him to leave. Yeah ! / she rationalized as she warily poked Kenshin's immobile frame with the toe of her boot.  
  
He groaned but remained unconscious.  
  
Against her better judgment, she dragged his limp body onto the bed. She gasped when she saw his blood stained shirt. Apparently, he should have followed doctors orders. Some of his stitches had reopened, staining his shirt crimson red. In her panic, she ripped off his shirt, pausing for a second to admire his well - defined abs, and looked around the room for anything that could be used as an antiseptic to prevent the wound from being infected.   
  
Finding nothing but a small bottle of sake, compliments of the motel, she quickly unscrewed the bottle and poured it over Kenshin's open wound. The pain of the contact forced Kenshin back into reality. He opened his eyes, befuddled in finding a beautiful stranger looking down at him worriedly. His head was still too muddled to recall what had happened a couple of minutes ago.   
  
/ Oh god, she's gorgeous, but who is she ? Megumi's going to kill me when she finds out that I cheated on her. Hell, I might as well enjoy this before she finds out. / , was Kenshin's last thought before he enveloped his stunned savior in his arms.   
  
For a moment, Kenshin hesitated, waiting for a sign from her. She was shaking in surprise, and possibly anticipation - not fear, and the expression in her eyes was all he needed to go on. Then his lips touched hers - soft, still, hesitant. When she didn't pull away, he continued the sweet plunder of her pliant mouth. Kenshin's mouth bore down upon hers, slanting over her lips in such a way that her mind could only beg for more.   
  
Years of practice had made him an expert at bringing a woman to ecstasy. He had eventually become indifferent about their feelings, knowing how skilled he was, and yet, there was something about her that made him want to please her. Her innocence, her soft sighs, - they all heightened his need to pleasure her.  
  
She moaned softly as she clung onto the tatters of what had once been his shirt. Passion drunk, her mind was in chaos, her thoughts confused. The need to touch him, to kiss him, was overwhelming, until she caught sight of the blood soaked bed. She suddenly pushed him away.   
  
" Oro ? Oops, I meant to say, what ? " asked Kenshin, surprised by the sudden halt of their passionate scene.  
  
" You're bleeding. "  
  
" Oh. "  
  
An awkward silence settled between them. Realizing what he had just did and that he had just made a mess of her bed and her now blood - covered clothes, Kenshin began apologizing profusely. The tension broken, she briskly walked to the bathroom and retrieved two towels. One for Kenshin, the other for herself. Carefully, she began wiping off the excess blood that covered his torso, willing her mind to focus on anything but the delectable man in front of her.   
  
Kenshin was just plain confused. His pride willed him to continue what he started, but his conscience refused. He had never felt that way before. Lust had indeed been present, but there was something more, something which had shocked him to the core. He wanted to think about this new emotion. He wanted to analyze and break it down until he completely understood what had just happened, but he was too tired. He didn't even know what time it was anymore. Three, possibly four in the morning ? With a yawn, Kenshin slipped into restful slumber.  
  
After she had finished her task, she noticed that her patient had fallen asleep. Unconsciously, a small smile graced her lips as her eyes roved over the sleeping form on her bed. Previously, she had not paid much attention to his appearance because of the situation. Now, as she sat on the edge of the bed, she drank in the sight of the man who had scared the hell out of her just moments ago, and yet had been able to make her feel like a goddess with a single kiss. Curiosity compelled her to look. What she saw did not disappoint her.  
  
Based on his looks, he couldn't be categorized under the macho prince in shining armor type, due to his petite but muscular stature, much less under any other category she could think of. He had long wavy red hair, which was quite unusual in these modern times. It took her entire self - control to stop herself from touching it to see if his hair was really as soft as it looked. He was pale, much paler than any man she had ever met - but that could have been attributed to his exhaustion and blood loss.   
  
She longed for him to open his eyes, even for just a second, that she may satisfy her curiosity. She expected him to have jade green eyes, chocolate brown eyes, or possibly eyes the color of the ocean. Too bad he was asleep.  
  
Almost as if Kenshin had heard her thoughts, he gently stirred. His eyes lazily opened, giving her a peek of the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, only to shut just as quickly.   
  
/ Oh my god ! He's got purple eyes ! It's unreal ! Hmmm, maybe they're contact lenses. Sigh, it would be nice to wake up every morning to those eyes - eh ? What the hell am I thinking ? I must be going out of my mind. What would he think if he knew that I was fantasizing about him ? He'd probably run away. I can't believe I'm ogling a poor defenseless stranger. / she thought, before continuing with her observations of his appearance.   
  
His overall appearance was unique. In fact, he was extremely sexy, in a bishounen sort of way. What caught her eye the most was the x - shaped scar on his face. It made him unique, giving him a dangerous, yet sweet look. It completed him.  
  
Her eyes traveled over his whole body, wonderingly and appreciatively. She gasped softly as her blue eyes clashed with hypnotic violet ones. He was awake. She wondered just how long he had been conscious, just how long he had observed her gazing at his delicate features.  
  
She blushed tomato red. Now it was her turn to apologize. Words just kept coming out of her mouth. She knew she was babbling incoherently, and yet she could not stop.   
  
A tiny smile graced Kenshin's lips.  
  
She knew she looked stupid. She felt stupid. Heck - she sounded stupid ; but to Kenshin, she was anything but stupid. To him, she was beautiful. She was a gorgeous angel who had been sent by God to save him, who had brought out his non - existent poetic skills from oblivion and was making him think like an idiot. She was - who was she anyway ? It only occurred to him now that he had no clue what her name was.   
  
" What's your name ? " interrupted Kenshin gently.  
  
She thought frantically for a moment before muttering something beneath her breath.  
  
" My name is Tenshi. " she repeated, biting her lip nervously as she had in the bar.  
  
" Angel ? " Kenshin said in wonder. It was more of a statement, a rhetorical question which needed no answer from her.   
  
Kenshin tried to stand up, but the pain once again returned to him. He fell back onto the bed, exhausted and at the same time exhilarated. He wanted to know more about her, where she lived, what she did for a living - anything and everything. Before he could open his mouth, consciousness evaded him once more. He nodded off to sleep.   
  
She stood up, and stepped away from the bed which contained Kenshin's sleeping form. After thinking for a moment, she began to pack her stuff. She walked to the door, pausing, debating whether she should or should not. Reality won over. She sighed. As much as she wanted to, she didn't looked back.  
  
  
  
THE END !!!   
wahahaha, just kidding okie ?   
  
to be continued ...  
  
  
  
  
eep ! ... it was just a joke - jeez ... ok, i'm expecting possible flames ( what does a flame look like anyway ? ) and curses and all from you guys because of this chapter ... hmph, BRING IT ON ! =P ... i'm hoping though that some people actually liked this chapter, i sure did ... what a way to end a chapter eh ? ... totally hanging over a cliff ...  
  
*announcer's voice* ... " will Kenshin ever find his angel again ? or will he end up married to GASP megumi ? tune in to ANGEL, same time, same channel " ... if there is a next time ... that will all depend on you guys, once again ... i'll be waiting for reviews, hopefully tons of them ... wahaha, i'm a greedy and selfish a$$ when it comes to reviews, yes, i'm admitting it ... must - have - MORE ! ... sooo, if you want the next chapter, inspire me with a review ... *evil grin* ... sigh, no, i'm not that bad, but yeah, a review would be appreciated, so pleeease take the time to write one   
  
THANKS SO MUCH to all 15 people who wrote a review ! as well as to steph, who emailed me ...   
  
oh look at what comes right after this sentence - it's the box for writing a review ... HINT HINT ... *sweatdrop* 


	4. Waking Up Alone

READ THIS ( read the whole thing )  
  
  
author's notes :  
  
Yey ! I've finally received thirty reviews ! I'm soooo happy ! ahem, anyway ... ta da ! here's the fourth chapter ... unfortunately, Kaoru's gone for good, yep, she threw a hissy fit during the filming of this the other day, so I kicked her off the show - she's gonna be replaced by - WAHAHAHAHA ... i'm sure you know that i'm JUST KIDDING !!! ... anyway, what i had meant to say was that she isn't making an appearance in this chapter ... she left remember ? in the previous chapter ... but yes, she and kenshin will be reunited in the next chapter ( chapter 5, which will be veeery long ) ... he will find her again of course ! ... this chapter is the actual start of the story ( gasp ! you may be wondering what the last 3 chapters were - they were just part of the introduction ^_^; ) this whole chapter is basically focusing on kenshin ... my sugarpie ! *sweatdrops* ... ehehehe ... i'm joking, geez ...  
  
i'm assuming that you guys ( the readers ) won't like this chapter that much ... sigh, i sure didn't ... but don't worry, the next chapter is full of WAFF ( i'm hoping WAFF stands for what i think it is ) and K&K sparks, plus the start of Misao & Aoshi's relationship ...* bobs head energetically* ...   
  
to clear up the reader's confusion, TENSHI means angel ... hence the title of my fic ! ... to answer other questions posted by readers in the reviews, Kaoru is not a hooker, or whatever else my pop into your mind, but there is a reason why she dressed up like that and went to the bar and all ... all will be revealed in time ... after all, patience is a virtue ... someone asked about the ages of the characters in my fic as compared to the actual anime series ... hehehe, i don't even know how old they really are but if my estimations are correct, there's like a ten year ( or more ) difference between Kenshin and Kaoru's ages ... eeew ! *ducks frying pans thrown at her* ... use your imagination ! i can't dictate how you envision them to be since it is an alternate universe fic ...   
  
oh yeah, before i forget to remind you peeps ( readers ) ... don't forget to read the notes at the end of the chapter ... not that important though ... don't forget to do a review ... i mean, how long would it take to type a couple of words and press submit ?   
  
i forgot to mention in the previous chapters that I do not own rurouni kenshin, nor do i own any of the characters and all ... plus, i'm not a good target for lawsuits coz, well, i don't own anything ...   
  
anata ^ _^   
  
  
  
  
Chapter Four - Waking Up Alone  
  
  
  
Kenshin woke up alone. He rubbed his eyes sleepily as he surveyed the room, only to find non-existent traces of his angel. Knowing the difference between a dream and reality, he wasn't one to assume that all that had happened was merely his imagination spawned from the liquor and loss of blood the previous night. Therefore, with precise analyzing, he concluded that she, Tenshi, was in the bathroom. Covering a few more adorable yawns, Kenshin recalled what had happened between them last night.  
  
His lips curved into a sensual and somewhat feral grin as he envisioned her. No, it wasn't because he found her body extraordinarily appealing - she was sexy, he had to admit that, but there was something else that drew him to her. She intrigued him. No one had actually been able to do that. Some had slightly piqued his interest, surprised him, even excited him, but she was different.  
  
When he had fainted last night, he instinctively assumed that she would have kicked him, or call the police, or anything - anything but save his life despite that fact that he was a total stranger who had been threatening her just seconds ago. He couldn't understand her actions. Was she crazy ? His instincts told him that he had been oblivious to his identity, that he was filthy rich - so what could have been her reason ?  
  
' Could she have actually been - nah. She couldn't possibly, I mean, how many years have I gone through life without meeting someone … nice ? '  
  
He burst out laughing. Years of struggling, battling against those who wanted to prevent him from reaching his dreams of success, had truly jaded him. He couldn't even remember the last company or major business group that he had toppled with his merciless business prowess - was it Mr. Shishio's company or Hakama Inc., the manufacturer that had refused to continue producing his favorite white pants that went so well with his pinkish fuschia business suits ? It didn't actually matter because he had emerged victorious.  
  
He was Kenshin, the Corporate Slasher. He was the good guy. He would always win, despite the bloodshed and tears, literally.  
  
Kenshin's laughter quickly evaporated as he remembered Tenshi. She was an enigma, a puzzle he would surely enjoy. Adorably confused purple eyes blinked, only to be replaced by a look of steely determination. Confusion and uncertainty were weaknesses he could live without. He would get the girl - wouldn't he ?   
  
No longer drowsy, he suddenly noticed the sounds around him - or lack thereof. There was nothing but silence.   
  
Warily, Kenshin stood up from the blood soaked bed, and crept towards the bathroom. His hand reached for the door knob, pausing only for a minute to recall the bathroom scene from Alfred Hitchcock's movie, Psycho. Heck, he didn't want to scare the daylights out of her, so he chose instead to knock.  
  
No answer.  
  
He knocked again, three sharp raps against the wooden frame, but still no answer. Out of worry and an overactive imagination, which depicted Tenshi being kidnapped and carried off by weirdos like the guys in the bar, Kenshin knocked down the door. Impressed by his seemingly natural fighting grace, he put on his sexy innocent grin as insurance in case she would believe that he was really insane for wrecking the door.  
  
The sight of the cheaply decorated toilet greeted him. It was void of any living forms except for himself and a stray cockroach or two.  
  
Kenshin did not panic. Instead he rationalized to the best of his abilities in such a situation. There were still other places in the room where she could be in. Under the bed, in the closet, behind the curtains - hundreds of irrational possibilities flooded his mind before he began to tear up the room in search of her. It never occurred to him that it was impossible for a fully grown woman to conceal herself in such a cramped room, until he had finished destroying what had once been a slightly decent motel room.  
  
It eventually registered in his mind that she was truly gone. No farewell, no traces that she had even been there were left except for the creases on the bed where she had sat while wiping his wounds.   
  
Almost mechanically, Kenshin began to dress up as his brain began working furiously. Finding nothing but the bloody tatters of what had been his expensive Armani shirt, he grabbed the only article of clothing he could find in the room, which was the complimentary bathrobe. Debating whether going out shirtless or wearing a huge bathrobe that touched the floor because of his short build, was more embarrassing, he picked propriety. It wouldn't do him any good to have pictures of him leaving a motel without his shirt on, wallpapered in every tabloid in the country.  
  
By the time he had finished, he had already organized a plan. He would go down to the lobby and ask for information about Tenshi. There was no doubt in his mind that he would find her.  
  
Trudging towards the lobby, amidst the raised eyebrows and snickers aimed at him by passerbys, Kenshin gritted his teeth. They would all pay. He politely asked the woman for information about the person who had occupied the room. He then learned the motel's policy about a guest's privacy was made void with the assistance of a small but sufficiently hefty bribe. Despite all his all this, his efforts were wasted. Apparently, the person who had registered under room 109 was a ninety year old woman Mary Smith, obviously not whom he was looking for. No other details were included because she had paid in cash. If she was not really ' Tenshi', and she couldn't possibly be Mary Smith, who could she be ?  
  
It was only then and there that Kenshin realized that his angel, had she really been named Tenshi, was truly gone. His head began to hurt.  
  
With the level headedness and calm exterior he was well known for, Kenshin merely shrugged inwardly. At that moment, anyone looking at him would have just assumed he was some gorgeous redhead weirdo in a bathrobe, but on the inside, he was in turmoil. No woman had ever left him. In fact, he was the one who would leave while they would beg for him to stay. He just had to find out who she was.  
  
Kenshin whipped out his cell phone to call one of his informants about Tenshi, when he realized that he had forgotten to open it last night, after he had closed it during Misao's prom. Wondering just how many text messages and missed phone calls he had received from Megumi, he was surprised to see that most of the texts came from Misao. Not only were there missed calls from her, his cel was suddenly flooded with the arrival of dozens of other messages, from yes, Megumi, and suprisingly, Hiko as well.  
  
As he read the messages, his cool façade began crumbling as his brow furrowed in what seemed like anger. His eyes blazed amber, for just a split second, before they returned to their normal violet shade. He raced with seemingly god-like speed towards his car, all thoughts about Tenshi temporarily forgotten.  
  
His hands shook as he dialed the number to the house where Misao stayed. Busy. He tried again, but to no avail. He cursed the traffic that delayed his travel. Making up his mind, he swerved to the opposite lane despite the horns blaring as he sped away. Red stop lights were ignored, while pedestrians had to jump out of the way to avoid being run over by Kenshin. In short, he was hell on wheels.  
  
' Damnit ! What the hell did that son of a b*tch do to Misao ? He will pay for what he did. I will make sure of that. '   
  
to be continued ...  
  
  
  
i'm sure you're thinking ' what the hell is up with the ending of the chapter ? ' ... that, my fellow anime fans, is the start of the story ... something did happen to Misao ... if you're wondering what, you had better do a review so as to inspire me to write chapter 5 ... i mean, chapter 5 is going to be really ' happening ' ( most of your questions will actually be answered there ) and yes, Kenshin will find Kaoru aka Tenshi again ... and sooo, if you want to know what happens next, i expect reviews ... i actually waited until it reached 30 reviews before i posted this chapter ... yes, i'm evil ... sigh, don't bother telling me coz evil is already my middle name, hehehe ... *wink*  
  
THANKS to everyone who wrote a review ... ^_^, hey Susan, looky below this sentence ... HINT HINT ... *evil grin*  
  
oh look at what comes right after this sentence - it's the box for writing a review ... HINT HINT ... *sweatdrop*   
  
  



	5. For The One That You Love

  
  
READ THIS ( read the whole thing okie ? )  
  
author's notes :  
  
  
I'm sooo sorry for taking so long to upload this chapter ... it's just that with so much homework and all, aaargh ! anyway, to make up for it, i've made this chapter really long ... there is a teeny bit of ' adult ' situations, so this is a warning ... ah yes, there's a lot of swearing, but very mild, so you don't exactly have to cover your eyes or anything like that ... don't forget to read the notes at the end of the chapter ...  
  
thanks so much to everyone who had written a review, please continue to write comments / criticisms ... they are very much appreciated ... hmph, i'm sure you guys know by now that no review = no new chapter ... bwahahaha ... ok, that sounded really egotistical ... GOMEN ! ... you have to understand that reviews inspire me ... sorry, i'm begin to babble ...  
  
anyway, this chapter, as promised, is focused on the start of Misao and Aoshi's relationship ... sigh, i know i also said that there would be K & K sparks, but the chapter just got so long ( and i ran out of time ) so Kenshin will meet up with Kaoru again in the next chapter, not in this one ... sorry again ... SORRY TO THOSE PEOPLE EXPECTING K&K FLUFF ... the title of this chapter is kinda sappy, but as you read it, you'll understand why i chose that title ...  
  
to ' joshi gurl ' ... how the heck do you know that i'm filipino ? it's the cell phone / texts info that gave it away eh ? either that or you're from canada ... ( that sounded kinda weird ... it's just that i have a friend in canada whose boyfriend is named josh ^_^ )  
  
before i forget, i don't own any of the characters in rurouni kenshin ... nothing at all ...  
  
ENJOY !  
  
  
anata ^ _^   
  
  
  
  
Chapter Five - For The One That You Love  
  
  
  
  
As he raced through the impossibly slow traffic, Kenshin's mind began envisioning ways of torturing the scumbag who had dared to touch Misao. Bloody murder, in this present day and age, was unfortunately, no longer an option unlike in the good old days. The many different possibilities surged through his mind, only to be overshadowed by an image of his sister sobbing. Each stop light he had to wait for, every second that passed, only encouraged the rage building up inside of him.   
  
' I'll sue his ass off and make sure that he ends up in prison for this lifetime. No - make that for the next three lifetimes. Damnit! Why wasn't I there for Misao when she needed me the most ? She's all that I have left and yet - '  
  
He smiled bitterly, as he recalled the reason why he had turned off his cell phone, why he had not known Misao was in trouble, and why he had not been able to rescue her in time - he had been with another woman. He tapped his fingers on the dashboard impatiently, and somewhat guiltily. His thoughts drifted to ' her '. Heck, he didn't even know her name and there he was thinking about her when he should have been concentrating on getting to Misao. What kind of a brother was he ?  
  
Kenshin's thoughts were suddenly cut off as he caught sight of the house he had just left the night before. Screeching to a halt, he jumped out of his car and raced towards the front door. The sight of the police cars parked in front of the house only served as fuel to his already agitated state. A crowd of onlookers composed of nosy neighbors watched in interest as Kenshin, in his full ' bathrobe ' clothed glory began banging on the door. He made a mental note to himself to never leave house keys in the pocket of his shirt ever again, as he wryly recalled what had happened to his shirt last night.  
  
When the door cracked open, Kenshin took a deep breath and walked in. Hiko grimly stood there, allowing him entrance to the house like some sort of butler. Kenshin rushed past him and two other police officers as he ran up the stairs to Misao's room. With a mighty and heroic kick, similar to the one he had bestowed upon the unfortunate bathroom door in the motel, Kenshin entered. He had expected to see Misao in tears, or shaking in fear. He had expected her to be upset or afraid or anything, so he was prepared to comfort his poor little sister who was - sitting on her bed, laughing and snuggling with a seemingly familiar guy beside her ? Kenshin could only gape in stupefaction.  
  
The couple on the bed jumped guiltily apart as they gazed upon the unwanted redhead hero standing in front of them. Misao, sensing the slight change in color of Kenshin's pupils, quickly stood up to hug him, while the guy she was with stealthily inched his way towards the exit.  
  
" Hold it. What's your name? " rang Kenshin's steely voice in the midst of the awkward silence that had befallen the room, as he faced the somewhat panicked teen who had almost, but not quite, gotten away.  
  
" My name is Aoshi. Aoshi Shinomori. " he coolly replied, seemingly unafraid.  
  
" Sit. " commanded Kenshin, his voice tinged with menace.  
  
Aoshi sat down. In his mind, he had wanted to refuse, but seeing the furious expression on the fiery redhead's face erased all thoughts of disobedience. He cringed inwardly for seeming like such a coward. He reassured himself with the thought that he would be the one receiving the brunt of Kenshin's anger, rather than Misao.   
  
With a satisfied nod, Kenshin turned his attention to Misao. He began shouting incoherently at her, half lecturing, half comforting, with an oro or two added in between. Kenshin felt angry, confused and somewhat betrayed. He had been worried sick about her, but there she was all happy. Even worse, she was with a guy in her bedroom. What else would an overprotective older brother do rather than jump to incredibly high conclusions ?   
  
Kenshin was trying to express his pent-up anxiety, but words seemed to fail him. In a mad effort to be understood, he began to wildly wave his arms in front of Misao, who was still clinging to him in case Kenshin would suddenly decide to attack her friend.  
  
Mistakenly interpreting Kenshin's actions as violence, Aoshi wedged himself between them in order to protect Misao from any blows that might be inflicted upon her. Being much taller than the two height deprived siblings, Aoshi was rest assured that he would be sufficient as a shield. In his efforts to act as a barrier for Misao, he had shocked Kenshin into silence.  
  
Both Kenshin and Misao were both staring at Aoshi in surprise, but with different reasons altogether. Kenshin was surprised because no one, much less a high school student, had ever challenged his authority. That simple action of Aoshi's had involuntarily gained him Kenshin's grudging respect and acceptance. Although Kenshin had not expected or appreciated it, he understood exactly what had gone through Aoshi's mind. The fact that Aoshi was willing to face his wrath in order to protect his little sister was enough to change Kenshin's opinion of him. In the span of a few seconds, Aoshi had changed from nasty perverted ass into a decent respectable ass. He was still an ' ass ' though, because Kenshin still couldn't get the image of Aoshi and Misao snuggling on her bed, out of his mind.  
  
Misao, who had been admiring the view of Aoshi's delectable backside, had hearts in her eyes. She hadn't expected Aoshi to do something so, well - heroic ! He was like a prince from a fairytale, despite the fact that he had jet black hair, an amazingly well muscled torso, gorgeous midnight blue eyes that reminded her of the night - more of an exotic prince charming, actually. Misao soon lost her train of thought, as she got caught up in her fantasy.  
  
Aoshi was just plain confused.  
  
He got even more confused when a relatively calm Kenshin took his hand and began to vigorously shake hands and introduce himself as if nothing had happened at all. If someone had walked in the room at that moment, he would have assumed that Kenshin and Aoshi had just met for the first time by the looks of the situation.  
  
Someone did walk into the room at the moment. It was Hiko. He quirked his brow when he noticed Kenshin's hand attached to Aoshi's, but said nothing. He was already used to Kenshin's ' moods ' after knowing them for so many years. After Hiko cleared his throat a couple of times, everyone got the hint and took a seat on the floor. It took quite a while though, before everyone got settled enough for Hiko to begin talking.   
  
" I'm sure all of us know what had happened last night. " started Hiko.  
  
" No. I have no idea what the hell is going on. First I get tons of text messages from Misao with ' HELP ' written on them as well as messages from you, Hiko, about a family emergency and that I should get home as soon as possible. What else am I supposed to do expect panic and rush home ? Next thing I know I find my little sister, who's only in high school, with a guy on her bed ? What the hell is happening to the world ? Everything is so messed up and no on wants to tell me why. Don't anyone dare to tell me I'm overreacting because I'm not. " ranted Kenshin, his previous fire igniting once more.  
  
" You didn't bother reading the messages that came afterwards, didn't you ? " Hiko sighed.  
  
" Uh, no ? " answered Kenshin sheepishly.   
  
Everyone groaned in unison.  
  
" We assumed that you read them and that you knew what had happened because you only showed up this morning. Hmmm, so since you don't know, that means your cell phone was closed last night. That could only mean one thing eh ? So who were you with last night Kenken ? " teased Misao.  
  
Kenshin, who was blushing profusely, could only sputter in reply.  
  
Hiko sternly ordered Misao to ' quit it ', and at the same time, ordered Kenshin to get a hold of himself. He cleared his throat once more, to gain everyone's attention.  
  
" As you all know - " Hiko began.  
  
" Let me tell Kenshin. It was my fault and well, he is my brother. " interrupted Misao.  
  
" Fine. " Hiko icily replied, slightly miffed about being interrupted.  
  
Misao took a few deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling until she was relaxed enough. All the while, Aoshi, who had been sitting beside her, held her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze, despite the narrowing of Kenshin's eyes.  
  
" I'm sure you remember last night was the prom. After Aoshi had dissed my lack of sexiness and height - yeah Kenshin, he's ' that ' guy who hurt my feelings and all. " Misao smiled, as she noticed the guilty expression on Aoshi's sexily remorseful face.  
  
" Anyway, if you can recall afterwards, I was dancing with Jake, the blond football player. Anyway, during the course of the dance, he had invited me to go clubbing with him and a couple of friends after the prom. I wanted to go, very badly in fact, but I knew that you wouldn't allow me. Either that or you would tag along, and that's even worse. No offense meant ! " she hurriedly added as she noticed the evil look Kenshin was throwing at her.  
  
" Sigh, here comes the bad part. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry, it's just that I wanted to hang out with them, you know, be cool like the popular people in school. So I decided to sneak out after you had left. " explained Misao apologetically.  
  
' So the flickering lights I saw last night as I was backing out of the driveway were not my imagination after all. It was Misao all along. ' thought Kenshin to himself.  
  
" That was wrong, but I still went along with Jake. I didn't know that he was drunk. I didn't know that he was going to - " Misao started sobbing as she recalled what had occurred.  
  
Aoshi then continued the story, realizing that Misao was in no condition to do so.  
  
" I was in the club too, actually, but I had no idea that Jake had invited Misao along. I haven't known Jake for that long, but I knew enough that when he was drunk, he would get really wild. So when I saw him, ummm ... " halted Aoshi nervously.  
  
" Saw him doing what ? " pressed Kenshin angrily, as he clenched his fists tightly.  
  
" He started touching me. He wouldn't stop even though I kept saying no. He wouldn't stop - " whispered Misao as her heart wrenching sobs grew stronger.   
  
" Did he ? " asked Kenshin in a voice filled with loathing for ' Jake '.  
  
" No. He didn't. I saw Jake following Misao into the washroom, so I went after him. I think that was where she was sending Kenshin the text messages for help. It was a unisex toilet alright ? Geez, by the looks on your faces you'd think I was a major pervert or something. Misao was shouting and she was struggling. I think she even kicked him in the crotch. Anyway, when I saw what he was doing to her, I convinced him to stop. " concluded Aoshi humbly.  
  
" He sure did ! With some sort of karate kick, Aoshi knocked Jake unconscious ! Of course, that was after Jake started attacking him because Aoshi had tried talking with him to stop groping me. We called the police, but Jake had gotten away already. Hiko and Aoshi accompanied me home to ensure that nothing would happen in case Jake tried to come here. Aoshi was nice enough to stay with me. We even got to talk and I learned a lot about him. Apparently, he was really nervous last night when he saw me, which was why he insulted me. " Misao added, as she blew her nose on a Kleenex tissue that Aoshi had handed to her.  
  
No longer was Aoshi an ' ass ' in Kenshin's mind. In fact, Kenshin had a nasty feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was a feeling he rarely experienced - gratitude. He hated owing anything to anyone, no matter how small the favor. Unfortunately, Kenshin realized that he could never repay Aoshi for what he had done.   
  
" Thank you. " was all Kenshin could say.  
  
" Too bad Jake got away though. " Aoshi added.  
  
" Actually, he didn't. " muttered Hiko.  
  
All three of them turned to face the policeman in confusion.   
  
" If you had bothered to read the messages I had sent to you afterwards, Kenshin, you would have found out that Jake's body, or should I say corpse, was found a few hours later. Specifically at four a.m., near the bar where you were in last night. To make matters worse, a few strands of red hair, which are being tested for DNA samples right now, where found near his body. " explained Hiko.  
  
Kenshin had a sinking feeling in his stomach. It was bad enough feeling ' gratitude ', but now this ? He would probably start getting ulcers really soon. Everything happening seemed like some sort of movie, or soap opera, or possibly an anime - too bad this was reality.  
  
" So what ? " asked Misao, who was now on the verge of tears once again, after hearing the news of Jake's untimely death. She felt so bad for feeling happy that he was dead, that she began to cry.  
  
" What he means is ... " said Aoshi somberly.  
  
" Kenshin is the main suspect. " finished Hiko.   
  
  
to be continued ...  
  
  
  
hehe, the end of this chapter isn't exactly a cliffhanger, but i'm hoping that it entices you guys ( the readers ) to read the next chapter ... ... and sooo, if you want to know what happens next, i expect reviews ... *evil laugh* ... is the plot seemingly becoming like a soap opera ? hopefully not ... by the way, I DO HAVE ANOTHER RUROUNI KENSHIN FAN FIC ... IT'S CALLED ' THE KISS ' ... I SUGGEST THAT YOU READ IT ! IT'S ALREADY AT CHAPTER SIX ... DON'T FORGET TO ALSO DO A REVIEW FOR IT ! ... actually, this isn't just advertising for ' The Kiss ' ... i'm kinda looking for someone to finish it for me, so if anyone actually reads it and is interested in continuing it, please email me ... pleeeease ... i can't really concentrate on it anymore because i'm currently working on this fic ( Angel ) ... thanks  
  
oh look at what comes right after this sentence - it's the box for writing a review ... HINT HINT ... *sweatdrop*   
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Realizations

READ THIS ( read the whole thing okie ? )  
  
author's notes :  
  
  
  
Sigh ... yes, i know that i haven't updated in a loooong loooong time ... I apologize ... I have no idea if anyone is still interested in this story, so this chapter ( chapter 6 now i think ? ) is somewhat an experimental chapter ... what i'm trying to say is that i want you guys ( the readers ) to write reviews ... tons hopefully ^_^; hehehe ... honestly, that's the only way for me to see whether people still want me to continue this fic ... it's been a really long time since i updated, after all ... so REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW !!!  
  
By the way, there isn't much fluff here ... but hey, i promise the next chapter ( if people do still want me to continue ) will be chock – full of K & K fluff ... i promise ( cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye )  
  
Thanks to all those who have submitted reviews before ...  
  
READ THE NOTES AFTER THE STORY ... IT CONTAINS EXPLANATIONS ABOUT THE STORY ... IT WOULD HELP YOU GUYS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE STORY ...  
  
Once again, before i forget, i don't own any of the characters in rurouni kenshin ... nothing at all ...  
  
By the way, THANKS OMOCHI for correcting my spelling mistake ... i'm not proficient at japanese at all, so your comment in the review is very much appreciated ... i changed the ee to ii ... thanks again ...  
  
ENJOY !  
  
  
  
anata ^ _^   
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Six - Realizations  
  
  
  
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flashback ...  
  
" What he means is ... " said Aoshi somberly.  
  
" Kenshin is the main suspect. " finished Hiko. ...  
  
____________________________ _  
  
Silence filled the room. Ironically, it was only then Kenshin realized how noisy silence could be.  
  
With just five words Kenshin felt as if his whole life was crumbling down. He was in control. He always knew what he was doing – and yet it was as if he were frozen. The only time he had ever felt this way was – he couldn't remember. Oh yes, when he woke up that morning and discovered that Tenshi was gone. Yes, after hearing what had happened to his sister, Kenshin had wanted to personally dismember Jake's body, but to actually find out that the object of his hatred had indeed been killed, was disturbing.  
  
It was Misao who broke the silence with a furious shout. " My brother is NOT a killer. He may be a cold and calculating business man who would mercilessly push opposing companies into bankruptcy ... "  
  
" ... and a brother who won't allow his sister to go to a prom because of a fictional movie about teens and pies ... " added Aoshi.  
  
After nodding approvingly at Aoshi's words, Misao continued, " ... and a guy who happens to hire secret agents to follow all of my guy friends around – "  
  
Before she could continue, she was cut off by Hiko, who noticed Kenshin's face which was turning a deep shade of purple, similar to the violet hue of his eyes. " I know he isn't " soothed Hiko, " but everything seems to be pointing to him. I have a feeling someone wants Kenshin out of the picture. "  
  
Despite the sudden change in the atmosphere, from suprise to indignant anger, Kenshin's thoughts continued swimming in his head as he stood in silence amidst the sounds. He thought of Jake's body, wherever it was at the moment he did not know. He thought of Misao, who was naively confident in his innocence. He thought of Megumi and how she would probably dump him as soon as she heard the news, not that it bothered him that much. All of these were pushed to the back of his mind as he remembered the image of Tenshi's face.  
  
/ Tenshi – was that even her real name ? Does it even matter ? She's my alibi. I'll find her and make sure the truth is known. There's no way in hell I'd let myself be imprisoned for a crime I did not commit. If she knew what had happened, would she cry ? Would she laugh ? Hell – would she even give a damn about me ? Why do I care so much about what she would think anyway ? – and why do I have this weird feeling everytime I think about her ? / thought Kenshin to himself.  
  
" I'm innocent. " declared Kenshin suddenly, catching the attention of the other three.  
  
They all turned to him expectantly, as they saw Kenshin's confident smile slowly return to his face. Gone was his seemingly paralyzed state, and back was his usual breezy and self-assured aura.  
  
" We need proof Kenshin. Do you have any evidence or possible people who can testify on your behalf ? Where were you at that time ? Was anyone with you ? What were you doing at that time ? " asked Hiko.  
  
" I was with a woman. "  
  
Everyone gasped in unison, except for Aoshi who gave Kenshin a thumbs – up sign followed by a ferocious glare from Misao. The situation would have almost seemed comical, except for the fact that a person had died.  
  
" You already know this Hiko, but for Misao's sake, I'll retell what had happened. After the prom, I stopped by a bar wherein I had a little run – in with a two sleazy bums who were bothering a woman. I saved her but she left. I ended up following her and bleeding all over her. She was kind enough to let me sleep in her hotel room last night. That's it. That's all that had happened – nothing more. " added Kenshin hastily as he saw their eyebrows quirk as they recalled Kenshin's past exploits with other women.  
  
" Ahem, although I don't really believe the fact that, ahem, nothing more happened, this is in fact excellent news. So what's her name ? " asked Misao.  
  
" Tenshi. " answered Kenshin.  
  
" Tenshi who ? "  
  
" I don't know. " muttered Kenshin sheepishly.  
  
" You're an idiot Himura. She's probably you're best chance of avoiding criminal charges of homicide, but nooo – you didn't bother to find out any of the vital stats. " murmured Hiko darkly.  
  
" Sigh, the typical one night stand eh ? Didn't even bother to ask for her name. Tsk tsk. " , teased Misao, in an attempt to lighten the mood after what Hiko had said. She was expecting Kenshin to reply with his typical shrug accompanied by his ' devil may care ' grin that showed he didn't really give a damn about who he had spent the night with as long as he had enjoyed himself. This grin was something she was very familiar with, as she learned throughout the years just how ' popular ' her brother was with the ladies. What she didn't expect was the defiant pout that covered Kenshin's suddenly brooding face.  
  
As she observed the changes in her brother's face, Misao could see that something was different. Something did happen last night, and although she knew her brother would probably commit harakiri before telling anyone what had occurred, Misao had a strong suspicion growing in her mind. It was almost as if Kenshin ... cared ? Although the idea of her brother caring for a woman, especially with someone he had only met the night before, seemed ridiculously impossible, the seriousness on Kenshin's face disallowed her to rule out the impossible. He was in love, or something similar to that anyway. He just hasn't realized it yet.  
  
" What a pretty name. It means angel right ? The word – Tenshi. " commented Aoshi, who was oblivious to the storm of emotions whirling through Kenshin's mind.  
  
Hearing that name seemed to animate Kenshin once more. He shook his head, causing a few stray red strands of hair to cascade gently down his face, once, twice, as if his mind was cleared with spider webs of feelings which he had never experienced. He was immensely curious about this feeling and he realized that the questions that had been haunting him since the night before could only be answered by Tenshi herself. With that, Kenshin began striding resolutely towards the front door, with only one purpose in mind – Tenshi.  
  
" Where are you going ? I think you should wait a while before leaving. " called out Hiko.  
  
" I'm going to find her, and no, I will not wait. " replied Kenshin, without faltering in his steps.  
  
" Kenshin, before you go you must - " Hiko's words were cut off as Kenshin turned his head towards him with a chilling glare, as he continued towards the door.  
  
" Onii – chan, I think that you should listen to what Hiko has to say. " Misao's words were not heard or simply ignored by Kenshin who increased his pace. He was going, and that was that. His irritation grew as he wondered why the hell was it taking him so long to reach the front door, in addition to the attempts of Hiko and Misao to stop him from leaving. He had to find her. Not just because she was his alibi, but also because she was probably the only one who could explain why his tummy and heart felt somewhat strange, in a good way.  
  
" I am going to find Tenshi, and nothing the three would say will convince me to stop. " growled Kenshin angrily.  
  
Aoshi merely stood there, watching the retreating figure of the brother of the love of his life. Although he wasn't very clued in about the situation or Kenshin's character, he could recognize a man in love when he saw one. After all, he himself was madly in love with the petite woman beside him, so who was he to stop Kenshin ?  
  
Right when Kenshin's hand touched the door knob, Aoshi shouted out " Yo ! Mr. Himura ! Just want to tell you good luck in finding Tenshi. There was something I've been meaning to ask you. I can't exactly remember it though. "  
  
" Thank you, Aoshi. " replied Kenshin as he stepped out into the sunlight.  
  
" Oh yeah, why are you wearing a bathrobe ? "  
  
Kenshin stopped. He had forgotten that he had left the hotel in a bathrobe, drove his car in a bathrobe, and threatened the boyfriend of his sister in a bathrobe. The horror of it all. His face turned a fiery shade of red, as crimson as the roots of his hair. He debated in his mind whether he should go back in or not, especially after he realized what Hiko and Misao were trying to tell him. His indecisiveness was soon forgotten, as he ran back into the house, despite the chuckles of both his close friend and sister. He was a millionaire after all, and one hell of a sexy one at that.  
  
Moments later, he stepped out once more, except this time, Kenshin was dressed to kill, not literally though, in an Armani suit which expelled pure concentrated confidence. He whipped out his cell phone once more, made a few phone calls, and smiled. His highly paid informants had done an excellent job. He now knew her real name, and he knew exactly where to find – his angel.  
  
/ I'm coming Tenshi – or should I say ... Kaoru Kamiya. /  
  
to be continued ...  
  
  
  
EXPLANATIONS : pls read  
  
a lot of readers have been confused with the references to Tenshi and Angel ... i'm sure you guys have been wondering who the hell is the ahem supposedly mysterious girl ... so i guess your question has been answered ... it's kaoru ok ? really, it's something that's meant to be ( hehe, i'm very very pro – k & K , obviously ) ... so why Tenshi and why Angel ? ... Kaoru just didn't want Kenshin to know her real name at that time ... think about it, if some unknown stranger follows you to your hotel room, sexy as he may be, would you give him your real name if he asked you for it ? ... hopefully / probably not ...  
  
so now you're probably wondering, why TENSHI of all the japanese names for females availabe ... i picked it because it's symbolic ( i already mentioned it, but i'll say it again – Tenshi means angel ) ... angels are after all, ' saving graces ' ... most of them anyway, so for me, that's exactly what Kaoru is to Kenshin ... his angel  
  
was that sappy ? yes ? good ... it was meant to be sappy ... i hope this explanation clears things up for you guys a bit ... once again, look at the little purple box that comes after these words ... it says ... Click here to submit a review ... click on it ... click on it ... click on it ... honestly, if you think my fic sucks, give me constructive criticism ... in short, tell me how to improve ... thanks  
  
pls. Write a review ... yes, i'm a grubby review craving fan fic writer ... aren't we all ? hehe, just kidding ... it's probably just me ... 


	7. Hidden Actions, Unspoken Words

DISCLAIMER : I don't own any of the characters from the anime Rurouni Kenshin  
  
   
  
   
  
READ THIS ( despite being long, this is actually quite important )  
  
author's notes :  
  
i'm so happy with the number of reviews i got from chapter 6 ... yeah, i guess i shouldn't scrap this fic like my other Rurouni Kenshin one entitled ' The Kiss ... ' which i felt no one was reading ... so keep up with the reviews !!!  
  
as promised, this chapter is filled with kenshin x kaoru fluff in the latter part ... fine fine – it's not exactly fluff, but i hope u guys like it ... and yes, they finally meet again after sooo many chapters ... and yes, this chapter is quite long, since a lot of people commented that chapter 6 was too short – SEE ! your reviews are important !  
  
i'm sorry it took me so long to write this chapter ... actually, i had planned on doing it sooner, but then i watched the final ova of Rurouni Kenshin ... to tell u truth, i was disappointed with how it ended ( don't worry, i won't spoil anything but if u want to know what happened in detail, just email me and i'll tell u ^_^ ; ) to make things worse, it depressed me ... for those who have seen it, i'm sure u felt depressed too after that  
  
' chibi – rinoa ' asked about the appearance of the other cast members of RK ... they'll come out eventually, but take note that Sano's name is mentioned in this chapter ... you'll be seeing more of him in later chapters ...  
  
thanks again for all u guys who wrote reviews ... annoying as it may be, i'd like to remind u guys to REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!  
  
ENJOY !  
  
   
  
anata ^_^  
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
Chapter Seven – Hidden Actions, Unspoken Words  
  
   
  
   
  
As Kenshin double checked the address of Kaoru's home, he realized that it wasn't that long a drive to get there. He was grateful for this as he noted that he hadn't slept at all the previous night. At least the bags under his eyes weren't very noticeable.  
  
Since he wasn't the type of person who would just sit on his ass and whine every time he encountered a hindrance in his life, he decided to he would follow one of his two mottos, whichever was most appropriate in the situation. His first motto was slash, kill, and annihilate, then smirk sexily in front of the television cameras. Second was to take advantage of the situation and think, then smile sexily once again. In this case, the latter was more favorable, so Kenshin let his mind wander off. It was ' thinking ' time. Childish as it may seem, ' thinking ' time was usually when he would find inspiration in his business.  
  
He grinned rakishly as the thought of seeing his ' angel ' entered his mind. Kenshin knew that it would have been much more convenient for him to send someone to her house to discuss his current problem with her, yet he couldn't bear to pass up the opportunity of talking with Kaoru. It was impractical, really, for him to be driving there, for him to be wasting his time when he could be making a million or two more in his office. There was no explanation for this. His only reason, illogical as it may be, was that he wanted to do so. Anything Kenshin wanted, he always got.  
  
He couldn't figure out why he was so happy over some woman – a stranger – beautiful, yes, but nevertheless, a stranger. It didn't really matter to him anyway, whether the notion of meeting her brought waves of happiness coursing through his veins. What mattered was the fact that she was his witness, his alibi, his - ...  
  
' ... angel ... ' thought Kenshin to himself, before realizing the sudden unexpected swerve in direction his thoughts had taken.  
  
He furiously berated himself for losing concentration. Being a corporate slasher and all, he had learned at an early age, that just the tiniest lack of concentration could lead to his demise, and yet here he was daydreaming about a woman whom he didn't even know intimately. Heck, not even a single one of the women he had intimate relations with was able to muddle up his mind the way ' Tenshi ' had. The last time he lost his concentration, the entire stock market had collapsed, and that was not a pretty sight.  
  
It was ironic really, that for the first time in his life, he was the one chasing after a woman. Even more ironic was that she apparently refused to admit her burning passionate love and desire for him. She wasn't playing hard to get. She was just ... in denial – or so Kenshin hoped. Yes, it was egotistical of him to think that way, but hey, the word ' no ' had never been a part of his vocabulary, and he would make sure that it wouldn't change.  
  
Kenshin realized he needed a plan of attack. He couldn't just barge into her home, sweep her into his arms, shower her with heated kisses until she was begging for more, slowly unbutton her blouse as his other hand would travel lower and – Kenshin quickly halted his train of thought as it approached the hentai stage.  
  
' I wonder what color her bra is ? ' he wondered, with a wicked smirk.  
  
' Baka ! I can't believe how lack of sleep is turning me into some pervert. I have to think clearly. When I get there, I'll ring the doorbell. When she answers the door, hopefully it's her who opens the door, I'll politely explain the situation and I'll pour on the charm in addition to my incredibly irresistible million watt smile. I won't do anything rash or seemingly insane. For a back-up plan, hmmm, bribes usually work. I can offer her cash, jewelry, a yacht or two, and I guess I'd be willing to give up one of my planes if she insisted. Problem solved ! Women – they're so easy to please. ' thought Kenshin to himself, based on his previous encounters with the women he had courted, and yet the back of his mind, he secretly hoped that Kaoru wouldn't accept the bribe.  
  
' She is special. She is different from all the money – grubbing women he had previously dated, isn't she ? '  
  
There was just something about Tenshi. ' Oh wait, I should remember to start calling her by her real name. ' Anyway, there was just something about KAORU, that had touched him. No, it wasn't her unbelievably long and slender legs, nor was it the classic Japanese beauty of her ivory face framed by that gorgeous raven hair, nor was it her incredibly soulful eyes that had reached into her heart. They were eminent factors, true, that heightened his interest with her, but what captured him was the fact that she had cared enough to take care of him when he had been wounded, despite not knowing who he was. He normally would have categorized such an act as naivete and stupidity, but to have actually been the recipient of such kindness made him experience something he never expected to. Compassion.  
  
It frightened him, and at the same time, it brought a smile to his normally grim face. He had felt loved – not adored, admired, or wanted – just plain ' loved ', and that, to him, was more precious than money. Somehow, through her act of kindness, Kaoru had been able to melt a bit of Kenshin's frozen mocha frappe, a.k.a. his heart.  
  
Now, reassured that he had a foolproof plan, Kenshin allowed himself to relax into the comfortable leather interior of his car. He switched on the car radio, changing stations until a song caught his interest. He joined in, mouthing the words despite being horribly out of tune.  
  
The last strains of music ended, as the dj announced the name of the singer and the title of the song.  
  
Kenshin quickly remembered the name of the artist, as well as the title. He was definitely going to buy the cd. The song unnerved him. It reminded him of his feelings and confusion, plus the fact that such a song could come in handy in the future. He sighed. Hearing the song play only made him think about Kaoru more.  
  
' Ne, I hope she's thinking about me too, or at least has thought about me even once. ' whispered Kenshin to himself.  
  
He switched off the radio after hearing the news break focusing on last night's murder and his supposed involvement in it, and continued to drive.  
  
' A few more minutes and I'll get there. '  
  
In Kaoru's home ...  
  
Kaoru's face paled as she reread the front page article in the newspaper. It came as a shock to her as her gaze traveled back and forth to the headline ' Millionaire Corporate Slasher Murder Suspect ', then to the accompanying picture of ' him '. She wasn't even sure which phrase she should focus more on – ' millionaire corporate slasher ' or ' murder suspect '.  
  
It was mind boggling that the man she had just spent the night with was Kenshin Himura, the well known business man known for his, ahem, charms and other physical assets and attributes, if you know what I mean. It was even worse finding out that he had possibly murdered someone. At least now she knew his name.  
  
' Long wavy crimson hair, purple eyes, x – shaped scar – yep, it's him alright. I can't believe it though, that he would actually kill someone, especially after seeing how gentle and sweet he was last night. ' As her thoughts drifted back to what had happened, she began to blush profusely as she remembered the wanton way she had responded to his touches.  
  
She read through the article once more, until something registered in her mind. According to the paper, forensic scientists have discovered the time of murder to be around three or four in the morning – the exact time she had been with him in the hotel room. She smiled as she realized that he was innocent, but then she remembered another thing. It was also the exact time she had been kissing him. That thought gave her a headache.  
  
It had been painful, leaving him there in the hotel room. Kaoru had wanted to stay, to be there by his side when he woke up, to see his beautiful purple eyes the moment they opened, but circumstances did not allow it. She had her own problems, and there was no way she would involve him. Despite her mind's resolve, she couldn't force her heart to forget about him. Even as she left, the memory of him kept sneaking back into her consciousness. Had it not been so endearing, Kaoru would have thought herself insane.  
  
It was silly, really, her wishing that she could see him again, even just a glimpse would have sufficed. Well, she got her wish and more, but it wasn't what she had envisioned. A picture and article about him possibly killing someone wasn't exactly what she had imagined.  
  
' Too bad I'll never see him again. What am I saying ? It 's a good thing I won't meet him again, but if I do, I wonder how should I react ? How would I – '  
  
KNOCK ! KNOCK ! KNOCK ! ... Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a sharp rapping on the door.  
  
Kaoru's mind raced frantically as she recalled all the romance novels and manga she had read in her teenage years. This would usually be the perfect opportunity for the protagonist to find the heroine and declare his everlasting love for her on bended knee. She was about to run to the nearest mirror to check her appearance when she realized what she was doing. She scolded herself for acting and thinking like a school girl who was about to go on her first date.  
  
' I am excited to see him again. ' She admitted to herself wryly, as she approached the front door. As her hand was about to turn the door knob, she took a deep breath and readied herself for the inevitable.  
  
Slowly, the door opened and sunlight filtered into the room, momentarily blinding Kaoru's eyes.  
  
" Good morning Ms. Kamiya ! I'm here to deliver a parcel for Mr. Sanosuke Sagara. This was the address indicated, so please sign here and here, stating that you have received the package. " chirped the mail man who was oblivious to the disappointment in Kaoru's eyes caused by the missing presence of the man she had hoped to find. After hearing the name mentioned, her eyes widened slightly, before returning to normal. This sign of suprise also went unnoticed by the mail man.  
  
After Kaoru had scrawled her signature upon the sheets, the mail man walked away, heading towards the next house on his delivery list. Kaoru sighed, her shoulders slightly drooping as she leaned against the doorframe. Her attention was suddenly caught by a commotion going on by her neighbor's house. Two people were fighting, and one of the two seemed to be beating the other with some sort of stick. Kaoru easily recognized which neighbor was involved - Mrs. Granger, a sweet old lady in her late seventies, but the other party was more difficult to distinguish from such a distance.  
  
Throwing caution to the wind, Kaoru grabbed the nearest possible weapon, one of the bamboo poles she had been tending in her front lawn, and headed towards them, intending on saving Mrs. Granger from harm in an unknown form. As she got nearer, recognition hit her with the force of an incoming bullet train.  
  
Red hair.  
  
Violet eyes.  
  
Sexy scar.  
  
It was him.  
  
Kenshin turned towards the source of approaching footsteps, hoping with all his might that it wasn't another deranged old woman wielding a deadly broomstick. No, Kenshin wasn't a wuss, but his basic nature refused to allow him to fight back against a woman, more so since she was old. Call it being chivalrous or being an idiot – if analyzed, both were indeed quite similar in terms of lack of common sense.  
  
He gasped in relief when he realized who had come. It sure as hell wasn't another psycho swinging a cleaning utensil.  
  
Once again, his angel had come to his rescue.  
  
After secretly admiring how sexy Kenshin looked in his semi – wrinkled suit, Kaoru realized that no matter what he wore – whether it was a blood – stained bathrobe or an Armani suit worth thousands, Kenshin was hot. As her gaze shifted towards his face, Kaoru discovered that while she had been giving his appearance the once over, Kenshin had been intently staring at her with an expression of ...  
  
' Longing ? Appreciation ? Love ? – Nah. It must just be my imagination. ' assured Kaoru's mind. Her lack of belief in this sort of reasoning though was betrayed by the increase in her heart rate. There really was something in his eyes, not literally though, that made Kaoru feel like blushing.  
  
With grace and courtesy, Kaoru was easily able to calm Mrs. Granger down, from the state of rage she had been in. Apparently, Mrs. Granger had also read this morning's article about the ' millionaire slasher ', and had assumed Kenshin was after Kaoru when she opened her front door and found him walking in the street towards Kaoru's house. Mrs. Granger's immense instinct of survival kicked in, and in no time flat, she had gone after him with her broom.  
  
Kaoru reassured the old woman she did know the man, that he was quite nice, and that he was most definitely NOT a murderer, contrary to what the newspaper had mentioned.  
  
Grudgingly, Mrs. Granger walked back into her house, warily glancing back at the redhead that had nearly caused her to have a heart attack by his presence. She paused for a moment to glare at Kenshin as she waved her broom menacingly, before leaving the two alone at last.  
  
An awkward silence fell, as the two of them were unsure of what to say. Every time they made eye contact, both would flinch as if they had been burned by the sparks that emanated between them. Had it been another time, another place, they could have spent hours just gazing into each other's eyes. If only.  
  
Both had something to say, but both were also too afraid to start. Finally, the tension was broken by Kaoru's hesitant smile which blossomed as she noticed how adorable Kenshin was, nervously tugging a stray lock of his hair that had fallen out of place.  
  
' Himura looks beauti – ummm, I mean handsome. ! ' thought Kaoru to herself, thanking the heavens that Kenshin couldn't read her mind. Had Kenshin been psychic, he would have been shocked especially by Kaoru's admiration of his ' sexy ass '.  
  
" I think I know why you're here, Mr. Himura. " murmured Kaoru, recalling the article's contents.  
  
" Call me Kenshin. Anyway, yeah, I guess you do. Kaoru. I need you to be my witness. " Kenshin said, although he had mentally added the unspoken sentence ' ... actually, I need you. ' to his thoughts. It took all of his willpower not to say it out loud for fear of scaring the daylights out of her. The moment he had caught sight of her nearing, it was as if he had lost all sense and reason. Common sense flew out of the window. He had wanted to tell the old lady to get lost, run up to Kaoru and envelop her with kisses. Good thing he hadn't, after all, he still had a plan to follow.  
  
" I – I – I'm sorry. I can't. Please understand what I am saying, and please don't follow me. " With that, she whirled around and began heading home. She knew that she had been incredibly abrupt and somewhat rude, but seeing him again had made her uncertain.  
  
" Wait ! I had another reason for coming here. " added in Kenshin hastily to her retreating figure.  
  
Despite his words, Kaoru continued walking. She knew that if she stopped even for just one moment, her resolve would crumble like a dry sand castle in the beach ; so she chose to ignore his words. She didn't want to be a part of his problems. She didn't want to involve him in her own either. Nothing he would say or do could change her mind. Nothing.  
  
" I just wanted to see you again. " he whispered.  
  
So quietly did he say these words that she almost didn't hear them. Obviously, he hadn't planned on her hearing them, after all, he felt unprepared to bare his feelings to her. He wasn't even sure of his feelings anymore. All he knew now was that this woman, his angel, was walking away from him and there was nothing he could do about it despite his wealth and incredible good looks.  
  
Unfortunately, or should I say ' fortunately' for him, Kaoru had heard. She paused, mid - stride, if only for a moment, giving Kenshin the opportunity he needed.  
  
Kenshin caught one of her hands before she was able to continue. Carefully as if it were made of porcelain, he held her hand – a silent heartfelt plea which she found she could almost not ignore. Almost, but not quite.  
  
With excruciating patience and self - loathing, she extracted her hand from his hold. The moment their skin lost contact, Kaoru felt a sense of unexplainable loss. It was strange, how comfortable she felt, whenever she was near him. It was almost as if her hand belonged to his. It was almost like deja vu, her being with him, except for the fact that she was positive that she had never ever met him before last night. The tingly and safe feeling she had felt quickly vanished as Kaoru briskly strode towards her house, leaving Kenshin gaping in bewilderment at her in the middle of the street.  
  
Kenshin too was a victim of the feeling of loss caused by her departure. Gathering his wits, Kenshin followed her, but before he was able to step into her house, Kaoru had deftly managed to slam the door in his face.  
  
Rejection. Hurt. Pain.  
  
" Ow. You hurt my nose. " complained Kenshin, as he stood on the other side of the door, rubbing his now red nose.  
  
' I don't know which hurts more right now – my nose or my heart, but I can't give up. It's now or never. ' With that thought, Kenshin began banging on her front door with renewed vigor.  
  
   
  
to be continued ...  
  
   
  
some explanations : ( pls. read )  
  
you're probably thinking i made Kenshin sound like a male chauvinist pig based on the fact that he believes women can be easily bought – just remember that he thinks this way because of all the previous women he had dated ... they would pout, he'd give them gifts, and * poof * - like magic they'd be happy again ...  
  
no, Kaoru's NOT playing hard to get – she's just confused about her feelings, and so is Kenshin ... note though that although he doesn't realize yet that he's madly in love with her, he knows that he feels deeply for her, and that is enough for him to take action  
  
in case u find portions of this chapter somewhat silly, it was meant to be silly ... i intentionally tried to make this chapter a bit happier by adding some subtle ' not quite ' puns to pull up the mood ...  
  
oh yes, the song Kenshin was listening to will actually be mentioned in a later chapter ... if ur wondering what the song is ... write a review so the story would actually reach that chapter !  
  
who is mrs. Granger ? ... i just made her up  
  
once more thing, i'm sorry if u find my story too slow and dragging ... that's really how i write, which is why i normally do one shot fics to prevent it from getting boring ... that's why i want REVIEWS ! ... they make me want to write, some give me ideas, plus the fact that they tell me whether or not my fic sucks or not ...  
  
pls. Write a review ... yes, i'm a grubby review craving fan fic writer ... aren't we all ? hehe, just kidding ... it's probably just me ... once again, look at the little purple box that comes after these words ... it says ... Click here to submit a review ... click on it ... click on it ... click on it ... honestly, if you think my fic sucks, give me constructive criticism ... in short, tell me how to improve ... thanks  
  
  


	8. The Truth Hurts

DISCLAIMER : I don't own any of the characters from the anime Rurouni Kenshin  
  
  
  
  
  
READ THIS ( this is actually quite important despite being sooo long )  
  
author's notes :  
  
yes, i actually updated ! ... i plopped myself in front of the comp and started typing away, and before i knew it, VOILA ! chapter 8 materialized before my very eyes ... aaargh, who am i kidding ... i took soooo long to update and really, i'm soooo SORRY to all those who have patiently waited for an update from me ... * mentally kicks myself * ... that's why i made this chapter much longer than usual ...  
  
more kenshin x kaoru fluff, although this time i'm not exactly sure it's fluff ... but hey, it involves kissing and all ... so all you fans of kenshin and kaoru pairing, this chapter's for you ... erm, don't hate me though if ur disappointed by this chapter ... this chapter is a bit weird, and it's definitely left hanging ... soooo REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW !  
  
to everyone who has written a review, I LOVE U !!!! ... ehehehe * sweatedrop * ... really, i do ... mwah ! ... oh yeah, and to Zion Guardian, i don't exactly know what you mean by ' constructive criticism, but if you do have the time, pls do ok ?  
  
... for those asking why i take so long to update, well, it's really my fault ... i'm just plain lazy ...  
  
if you guys have any questions about the story, stuff about the plot or characters or whatever that you would like to clarify, you could post your questions along with your comments in the reviews ... i'd be glad to answer them in the next chapter in the author's notes ...  
  
thanks again for all u guys who wrote reviews ... annoying as it may be, i'd like to remind u guys to REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!  
  
  
  
ENJOY !  
  
  
  
anata ^_^  
  
  
  
Chapter Eight – The Truth Hurts  
  
I know a lot of you guys skip the author's notes, that's why I sneakily * grin * inserted this portion here after the title ... pls write a review ... especially those who like to read but don't review, this is the best time to write one ... note that this paragraph is not part of the storyline ...  
  
After almost an hour, Kenshin's vigorous knocking had turned into furious banging.  
  
IHe was angry – angry because his mind couldn't force his body to just stop and walk away, angry because she had rejected him, angry at the world for giving him such a bad day, and most of all, angry that after forty – seven minutes, he was still standing there banging on the door like some idiot ; yet he realized that he was not angry at her at all.  
  
His anger eventually morphed into hurt, then into plain confusion, then into apathetic silence.  
  
Kenshin stopped knocking. His hand paused in midair before dropping to his side. He sighed. By now, the neighbors probably thought him insane or possibly worse. He thought for a moment before slowly turning away from the door. His steps were excruciatingly slow, but he continued, step by step until his foot touched the sidewalk. He didn't seem to notice that the front door had slightly opened, barely an inch in width, but just enough for Kaoru's curious eyes to peer out from within.  
  
Unbeknownst to Kenshin, Kaoru had been standing in front of the door the whole time, her heart breaking as each rap was inflicted upon the door. She wanted to open the door, she wanted to let him in, even just to talk, but she knew that things weren't that simple. The moment she let a man like Kenshin into her home, everything would change. True – he was already in her heart, but that didn't mean she couldn't prevent him from realizing that. That was why a sense of relief coupled with acute disappointment filled her as she peered through the barely noticeable sliver and watched him leave.  
  
Kaoru was too caught up with her emotions to wonder why Kenshin's movements were so slow. All that was in her mind was that he was leaving ... walking away from her house – away from her, plus the fact that his rear was quite enticing encased in the Armani pants that matched the jacket.  
  
Kenshin smirked to himself. He knew not even Kaoru, much less any woman, could resist observing his backside in motion, as one of his ex – girlfriends had once told him " You've got an ass that just won't quit. " Everything was still going according to the plan he had formulated during the car ride to Kaoru's abode, after all, she had opened the door hadn't she ? Despite the slight obstacles such as Kaoru's lack of cooperation and his somewhat humiliating and painful rejection, he would still follow his plans with a little assistance from his godlike speed.  
  
One moment she was staring at him standing on the sidewalk, the next thing she knew, he was there, his dazzling purple eyes smack in front of her, using her semi – shocked composure in an attempt to pry open the door. Just as he had done when he had tried to get into her hotel room the previous night, Kenshin stuck his foot through the door to prevent her from closing it. He flashed her his infamous grin at her jaw hanging in shock, before whispering into her ear " Deja vu ? Or are you just happy to see me again my little muffin bran. "  
  
Kaoru stared at him incredulously for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. " That was the most unromantic pick – up line I've ever heard ! Wahahahaha ! " she choked out between bouts of coughing due to her laughing.  
  
" Who said I was trying to pick you up ? " pouted Kenshin grumpily.  
  
It was one thing to have a woman slam a door in your face – but to have that same woman laugh at what he had assumed was an incredibly suave statement, all in the same day, was really ego – inflating.  
  
" You might as well have said something like ' Do you believe in love at first sight ? or should I walk by again. ' At least that one might have worked on me. Anyway, you're really cute when you're ang – " Kaoru stopped.  
  
" Yes !?! I'm cute when I'm ? "  
  
" Nothing. " She muttered defiantly, although the faintest trace of a smile was beginning to grace her lips once more as she noticed his eager expression.  
  
" Can I come in ? " He asked hopefully, with puppy – like eyes, as he gestured towards her home.  
  
She shook her head vehemently.  
  
Kenshin nodded good – naturedly.  
  
" Well – I'm not leaving, and since my foot's stuck jammed in the doorway, there's no way you can make me leave now is there. It's great really, me spending a beautiful morning with an equally gorgeous woman – meaning you. Since I'm stuck here – so are you. We can call this the doorway of love ! Hmmmm, how will I go though, when nature calls ? I guess I'll have to hold it in now don't I ? Maybe I – " he was cut short by Kaoru's giggles.  
  
" You never give up do you ? " asked Kaoru after regaining her breath.  
  
" Why would I give up when I have the stamina of ten men ? Both in and out of bed I might add. " he whispered, before winking at her seductively.  
  
She blushed at hearing his words. " Hentai, although I must admit that I have a secret passion for men like you. "  
  
" You mean you like perverts ? " asked Kenshin with a bemused expression on his face.  
  
" Oh – so you are a pervert ! " teased Kaoru.  
  
This time, it was Kenshin who blushed, his face turning beet red with the realization that he had just associated the words ' men like you ' to ' pervert ', thus branding himself a pervert.  
  
" No no no no no ! I'm not a pervert. What do you mean though by ' men like me ' ? "  
  
Kaoru smiled wickedly. " I like my men with stamina, after all, they're so, ahem – productive. " she whispered secretly.  
  
" Oh ? "  
  
" Yep – they're great for cleaning the house and doing laundry ! " replied Kaoru with a devious grin.  
  
Now it was his turn to laugh. He had never had such a fun conversation with anyone, as compared to the one he was having at the moment with Kaoru. It was strange, really, being able to talk freely knowing that she wouldn't try to manipulate his words into some sort of business merger or a marriage proposal. All the guys he talked to were usually incredibly formal with him, or were afraid of him. The women on the other hand were a completely different story – different, and just as bad. Yet with Kaoru, he didn't have that sinking feeling that she was trying to get something out of him. Really, he enjoyed talking to her, flirting and sparring verbally with this gorgeous woman with an acerbic and yet humorous wit. This was something totally new to him.  
  
All of a sudden, he remembered his plan – what he had to do. Kenshin's face turned serious once again. He still had to convince her to be a witness. He still had a plan to follow, and seeing that she refused to listen to his reasoning, he would have to resort to his plan B, which was bribery.  
  
He had realized at a young age that anyone can be bought, with varying prices of course, when he had discovered that his most trusted employee had leaked company secrets to one of his rivals in exchange for a few million dollars. One of his classmates from high school had murdered her own mother for the sake of earning enough cash to buy cigarettes. These sort of happenings had opened his eyes to the ways of the world, and definitely, he was not naive enough to believe that she would actually say yes if he asked her sincerely.  
  
Although she seemed like a very nice and wholesome person, Kenshin knew that whatever facade she had, if indeed she had one on, would crumble at the sight of a million dollar check or two. No one could resist money, but if she did, then he'd just raise the amount until she agreed. Now all he had to do was convince her to let him into her house, then surely his plan would follow through.  
  
More than two minutes had passed, with Kenshin lost in thought. Kaoru looked at him worriedly, noticing that his laughter had ceased abruptly, to be replaced by a keen silence. It was unnerving, and at the same time, enjoyable. His body was mere inches away from her face, and his face provided quite an admirable view. His butt was within a hand's reach, but she regretfully resisted the urge to grab it. His lips were even more irresistible to her as she noted how sensual they were, slightly parted.  
  
She was about to poke him when suddenly he sprang to life once more.  
  
' Something's different about him now. ' thought Kaoru to herself, as she noticed the change of expression on his face. ' For a moment there, it was as if I could see two emotions in him, battling each other. Maybe I said something wrong. '  
  
' I want her, and definitely she wants me too. So why is nothing happening ? Eeep !?! What the hell am I thinking ? I must follow my plans. I must follow my plans. ' chanted Kenshin to himself.  
  
" Are you okay Kenshin ? " asked Kaoru, nervously licking her lips.  
  
' Oh god she's licking her lips. That's the sexiest thing I've ever seen. I want to kiss her and – aargh !?! I will follow my plans. I will follow my plans. ' his mind continued.  
  
" Erm, yeah, I am. I just lost my train of thought for a minute there. Anyway, seriously, could I talk to you even for just a few minutes. This is something really important to me and I really need you to listen, plus the fact that I need to use your bathroom. " added Kenshin.  
  
Thinking it over, Kaoru finally eased open the door and beckoned him to follow her. She began walking towards the direction of the nearest bathroom, oblivious to the splay of emotions in Kenshin's eyes as he watched her walk. Kaoru turned around, only to find Kenshin still standing by the doorframe. She strode back to him, clasped his hand, and gently led him towards the loo.  
  
He tapped her on the shoulder, gaining her attention once more.  
  
" Yes Kenshin ? What mphff– "  
  
The rest of her words were muffled as he suddenly pulled her into his arms. She looked so vulnerable and yet so delectable there, a combination of shock and possibly longing, etched on her beautiful face. Her lips parted, but no sound came from them as she watched his handsome face draw closer to her own.  
  
' To hell with my plans. ' was Kenshin's last thought before he did the unthinkable.  
  
He kissed her. His initially gentle kiss slowly deepened, making her whimper for more. His mouth was scorching and ardent upon hers, his tongue thrusting inside with a hunger he couldn't understand, as his arms held her captive.  
  
Kaoru herself responded with fervor as her hands busied themselves with memorizing the feel of his hair, his skin, his ass – everything she could physically hold on to. She strained nearer, disregarding all sensibility as her senses were overwhelmed with the taste of him.  
  
His hands released her body for a moment, only to take hold of the buttons lining the front of her blouse. Clumsily and with much haste, his fingers grasped the seemingly slippery buttons in an attempt to free her from it. He wanted to see her, to touch her, to taste her, and –  
  
' What the hell am I doing ? ' howled Kenshin's mind furiously. ' It's wrong, it's against the plan, and it's just plain wrong wrong wrong ; but when have I ever cared about whether it's wrong or not ? She's different. '  
  
With that thought, he reluctantly tore his mouth away from hers eliciting a moan of deprivation from Kaoru, before she realized what activity for two she had just participated in.  
  
She gasped and quickly buttoned up what Kenshin had managed to reveal. She was shocked that she had behaved so wantonly and senselessly and the fact that it was he who had stopped it, not her. It felt embarrassing, it felt weird, but hell – it felt good.  
  
" I'm sorry. " They both cried out in unison.  
  
Anxiously, they straightened up their hair and clothes and nervously laughed.  
  
After a few more awkward minutes, the two were seated on separate sofas in Kaoru's living room, their eyes looking everywhere, except at each other. Their eyes accidentally made contact for a few seconds, before Kaoru hurriedly turned away, while Kenshin merely smiled.  
  
Finally, Kenshin broke the silence by talking.  
  
" I'm still here you know, and I still have something I need to say. Just pretend that what had happened earlier was just something out of our imagination. Pretend it had never occurred. "  
  
" Pretend ' what ' never happened ? " quipped Kaoru shakily, her sense of humor returning.  
  
" Do I make you nervous ? " asked Kenshin.  
  
" No. "  
  
" Then why are your hands shaking ? "  
  
Before she could reply, Kenshin took her hands and held them tightly with his own. Unexpectedly, the touch of his hands calmed her down. It comforted her, although she had no idea why. Kaoru looked up and found him gazing at her with such an intensity that she could swear sparks were flying in the air.  
  
" I'm sure you know quite well that I need you to be my witness. Don't refuse me without hearing things out. I'm innocent – you know that. The man that was murdered had unsuccessfully tried to rape my sister last night. The scumbag's name is Jake, by the way. " Kenshin paused for a moment as he noticed Kaoru's almost inaudible gasp.  
  
" So he's ... "  
  
" Yes, he's definitely dead. Now since he did try to hurt my sister, that gives me a motive for sending him to the next life, in the eyes of the judge and jury. To make things worse, there were a few strands of red hair, although I'm not quite sure they're mine, found in the scene of the crime. Now that's incriminating, more so since I have a sinking feeling that the dna test will reveal that they are indeed my hair. That's why I need you to – "  
  
" To testify ? To stand in front of a huge crowd of people and tell them that I know that this man is innocent ? To tell them that you didn't murder Jake and that I know because, well, I spent the night in bed with you ? " Kaoru's voice increased in volume as the words came pouring out of her mouth.  
  
" Exactly. "  
  
" NO. " was Kaoru's furious reply. ' Why's Kenshin acting like such a jerk. Does he really think he can buy me ? "  
  
" I'll pay you. Here's a check for a million dollars. If you want more, tell me and I'll write you another one right here. If you want cash or properties, it will take a bit longer though since I have to get – "  
  
" I said NO. " repeated Kaoru. " Yeah, the idiot really thinks he can buy me. I can't believe I just kissed him. '  
  
" Fine. I'll throw in a landmark of your choice. The Eiffel Tower ? The Statue of Liberty ? Name it and it's yours. Or if you prefer – "  
  
It was strange really, how desperate Kenshin felt. He knew there were other ways, other much simpler ways of winning a case such as this, and yet he felt the need to prove that Kaoru was just one of them, one of those money – grubbing women who just wanted him for his money. He wanted to prove that she could be bought, that she was just pretending to be nice. He was desperate because if he couldn't prove that she was just as bad as all the rest, he just might fall in love with her.  
  
Finally, Kaoru lost her temper.  
  
" I can't – I mean, I won't. " shouted Kaoru, fury empowering her voice. " Stop trying to bribe me because I won't testify. No matter how much money you throw in my face, I won't. Even if you promise to give me the world, I won't. "  
  
" Why ? " asked Kenshin, as his heart began beating faster after hearing her declaration.  
  
" .... " Silence was Kaoru's reply.  
  
" Tell me. "  
  
" .... "  
  
" Please. " murmured Kenshin, shocked that he had actually uttered that word. He had never used that word after realizing that he had the world at his feet. That was approximately the year he turned nineteen years old. It was strange, saying it after all these years.  
  
" Do you really want to know ? " replied Kaoru quietly, all her anger suddenly deflated by the simple and yet sincere word.  
  
Kenshin nodded.  
  
" I ... I'm married. "  
  
  
  
to be continued ...  
  
  
  
i hope kaoru's answer came as a suprise, after all, it's supposed to be a suprise ... don't be angry at me or anything ... there is a reason for why she's married, and no, kaoru's not a cheating wife ... everything can be , and will be explained in future chapters ...  
  
erm, yes, i know it sounds a bit daytime soap opera – ish, so i'm sorry ... pls don't flame me if u don't like how it's going ...  
  
oh yeah ... it's really nice that some of u guys out there mention ur favorite lines from the chapter in ur review ... that's highly appreciated ...  
  
pls. write a review ... yes, i'm a grubby review craving fan fic writer ... aren't we all ? hehe, just kidding ... it's probably just me ... once again, look at the little purple box that comes after these words ... it says ... Click here to submit a review ... click on it ... click on it ... click on it ... honestly, if you think my fic sucks, give me constructive criticism ... in short, tell me how to improve ... thanks ... 


	9. Confessions

DISCLAIMER : I don't own any of the characters from the anime Rurouni Kenshin  
  
  
  
READ THIS ( this is actually quite important despite being sooo long )  
  
author's notes :  
  
  
  
yup, i actually updated sooner than usual ... that's coz it's independence day tom. ( for my country anyway ) so there's no school ! yey !!! ... sigh, it's the start of a new school year now for me, and entrance exams are looming closer ... blech =P ...  
  
anyway, i'm sure u guys remember that in the previous chapter, kaoru announced that she's married – well, she really is married ... don't worry, it's explained in this chapter ... that's where you'll read the stuff about her dad, the dojo, etc. ... don't worry, it's only a paragraph or two ... note that although it's a bit similar to the series, i changed some info to make it fit the story, so pls don't go flaming me about it ok ?  
  
kenshin's somewhat mean here, but i guess he makes up for it in the end ... sorry if u guys don't like this chapter ... it's a bit dramatic / sappy / exaggerated , and it doesn't contain much humor since i meant for this to be a serious chapter ... you might be confused though about the latter part of this chapter, soooo, read the author's notes that come after the chapter when ur done with this chapter ok ? ... i'll explain things a bit ...  
  
by the way, this is the longest chapter so far in the story ...  
  
thanks again for all u guys who wrote reviews ... annoying as it may be, i'd like to remind u guys to REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!  
  
ENJOY !  
  
  
  
anata ^_^  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Nine – Confessions  
  
  
  
" I ... I'm married. "  
  
Kaoru's words repeated themselves in Kenshin's mind, echoing agonizingly in the very depths of hi heart. Her confession had a numbing effect upon him – his mind just refused to accept what she had said. How could it be possible ? The one woman who had finally won over his heart and had gained his trust was ... married ?  
  
' This is a joke. ' thought Kenshin to himself. ' – a sick joke that she's playing on me. Anytime now she's going to laugh and smile and tell me that it's not true. Anytime soon ... ' He refused to believe it, that his angel was already someone else's.  
  
It broke Kaoru's heart seeing the splay of emotions upon Kenshin's handsome face. He was incredulous and he was upset, but what saddened her most was seeing the hurt and vulnerability upon his face. She hadn't actually meant to reveal her secret, most especially to him – heck, she hadn't even anticipated the fact that she would allow him into her home, but now it was too late. There was no room for regrets. The most she could do now was explain, and hopefully make him understand why she had done what she did, but before she could begin, Kenshin began to shout.  
  
" If you are married, why did you kiss me back ? Why did you respond to my touch ? Why did you lead me on ? Is this some cruel joke you enjoy playing upon poor unsuspecting men like me ? " shouted Kenshin all of a sudden, enraged by the thought of being fooled by her. He was stupid for falling for her, for being blinded by her charms. He was angry at all that, but what infuriated him the most was the fact that he was already in too deep – he was truly madly deeply in love with her and there was nothing he could do to change his feelings. All that he could do now was to lash out at her verbally, to hurt her just as she had hurt him.  
  
" No ! I didn't mean to – "  
  
He cut off her reply scathingly. " I know a lot of women enjoy cheating on their husbands. It's practically a hobby these days, but I didn't expect it from you. I thought you were different from those women. Apparently not. You're just a lying and cheating whore – and to think I actually believed your 'innocent' act. "  
  
Kaoru reeled back as if she had received a physical blow, and not just an emotional attack. His words had cut her like a knife, scarring her fragile heart. She could practically feel tears welling up in her eyes, but she forced herself to prevent the tears from falling.  
  
" Who the hell do you think you are to criticize me like that ? You don't even know why I married him in the first place and – "  
  
" Please. Enlighten me. " was Kenshin's sarcastic reply.  
  
" I had no choice at that time. Truthfully, it was just a marriage of convenience and – "  
  
" Yeah, of course I understand. Go ahead and marry the first guy who is ' convenient ', just like you kissed me last night. After all, it was convenient wasn't it ? I wonder how many men do you consider convenient ? Too bad, I wasn't the first man who was ' convenient ' for you eh ? I might have ended up with a wife who – "  
  
" Stop it ! " yelled Kaoru, tears finally streaming down her pale face. The sight of her tears caused Kenshin to return to reality. It was now he realized what he had just said and that he had made her cry. He had succeeded in hurting the one he loved the most, and nothing he could do or say could make up for it.  
  
" I can explain, Kenshin. " murmured Kaoru shakily to the seemingly frozen millionaire.  
  
Silence was her reply.  
  
She wiped away a stray tear and continued. " My mother died when I was very young, leaving my father to raise me on his own. I'm not complaining or anything, but we did have a difficult life. It was awkward, yes, being raised by a father, but I was happy. One thing that we shared, something we both enjoyed, was martial arts. He had a dojo in which he taught the neighborhood kids, as well as myself, but ... " Kaoru paused for a moment, the memory of her childhood flooding upon her, bringing out a wistful look upon her beautiful face that Kenshin noted.  
  
Kenshin, still silent, looked into her eyes and nodded for her to continue.  
  
" Unfortunately, a few years ago, he died. The only thing he was able to leave to me was the dojo, but I was contented, knowing that this was something we both loved. Then one day a man named Sanosuke Sagara arrived at the dojo. He became a teacher there, and we became friends. Someone though, I don't even know who, wanted to get rid of my dojo. Whoever that was spread rumors about the dojo, about my teaching abilities, and the fact that I was a woman. Parents became afraid and stopped enrolling their children. My dojo, my father's name was being disgraced, and there was nothing I could do about it until – "  
  
" Until that Sagara person offered to marry you ? " finished Kenshin angrily.  
  
As Kaoru had been talking, Kenshin realized that he still loved her despite her marital status. His feelings for her remained unchanged. He thought that the fact that she was married would make him lose his desire for her – that he would be able to easily dimiss her from his mind. Apparently, that was not so. When he heard the name of the ' other ' man mentioned, jealousy had overtaken his mind, replacing the anger that had been there. He still wanted her – correction – he still loved her, and to him, that really mattered.  
  
" We're just friends Kenshin. "  
  
" Then divorce him. Tell him that it's over. Come with me. I'll be you a dozen dojos. I can give you everything that you have ever dreamed of. I can give you the world. " promised Kenshin. He had understood and accepted her story, whether it was true or not. He didn't care, as long as it was her.  
  
" I – I can't do that. " she stuttered, fazed by the determined expression on Kenshin's face.  
  
" Why not Kaoru ? Answer me – why not ? "  
  
" It's not something I can just explain to you. It's complicated and – "  
  
" Do you love him ? " interrupted Kenshin in a steely voice, as his hands held her shoulders in a vice – like grip.  
  
Despite his outward expression, inside, he was panicking. He felt like he was on the Titanic, sinking deeper and deeper into the ocean, and the only thing he could do was hold on to her, the one he loved. A voice inside his head told him that if he let her go now, he may never be able to have her again, that he may lose her forever. That was why he asked the question. He had to know if he had a chance, whether or not she returned his feelings.  
  
" I ... I ... No. I don't love Sanosuke. " Kaoru admitted.  
  
Kenshin breathed a sigh of relief. Hearing her reply lifted the heavy load off his shoulders. Now, though, came the million – dollar question.  
  
" Do you love me ? " asked Kenshin, his heart clenching painfully in anticipation for her answer.  
  
" ..... " was Kaoru's reply.  
  
" Answer me. " said Kenshin forcefully.  
  
" I don't know. " answered Kaoru truthfully. " You make me happy like no one has ever been able to. When I'm with you, I find myself with a smile that I seem to have lost years ago, and really, I feel comfortable with you. I even trust you, but I'm not sure if I love you. We just met last night. "  
  
" Do you believe in love at first sight ? – or should I walk by again ? " asked Kenshin, a smile softening his face as he quoted Kaoru's earlier words. Hearing her reply sparked a glimmer of hope in his heart. It didn't exactly make him want to jump up and down for joy, after all, she wasn't sure about her feelings ; but the fact that he indeed had a chance, was like a blessing.  
  
" What did you just say ? " asked Kaoru bemusedly, wondering where she had heard that before, all traces of her tears now gone.  
  
" Just a few minutes ago, remember, you laughed at my best pick – up line with the muffin bran. You suggested saying ' Do you believe in love at first sight ? – or ... " reminded Kenshin.  
  
" Yeah, I remember, but I don't know the answer to that question. " replied Kaoru, a hint of a smile now returning to her face.  
  
Seeing her happier expression gave him the courage to continue. " I'm sorry for all those things I said. I'm sorry for making you cry. I didn't really mean them. I was just really upset because – " He was humbling himself once more. He was apologizing. Sincerely. It felt weird, and Kaoru could see his difficulty in bringing out the word ' sorry '.  
  
" I understand. " Kaoru interjected. " I would probably said something similar to what you said, had I been in your shoes. I'm just glad that you understand my situation as well. "  
  
Kenshin smiled in relief.  
  
Kaoru smiled in understanding.  
  
They were going to smile quite a bit more, when they were interrupted by the ringing of Kenshin's cell phone. The ring tone of his phone sounded eerily like the opening song of Sailormoon, but Kaoru didn't really notice. She was too busy thinking of his question, and her answer to it.  
  
Kenshin quickly pressed the ' answer ' button, and was unpleasantly surprised to hear Megumi's voice on the other end of the line. Apparently, he had scheduled a lunch date with her, and a quick glance at his watch confirmed the fact that he was an hour late.  
  
" Where are you darling ? " purred Megumi sweetly, although the undercurrent of rage for being made to wait, was obvious in her pretentious tone.  
  
" Do you have to leave now ? " asked Kaoru, noticing the look of annoyance cover Kenshin's face as he listened to the phone.  
  
" Not yet. " replied Kenshin.  
  
" Who's that with you Kenshin ? " asked Megumi, noticing that whomever was with Kenshin was definitely female. A frown marred Megumi's otherwise flawless face, as she deduced that the person who had made Kenshin forget about a date with her was indeed another woman. In other words, she had competition. She disguised her fury, by making her voice even more flirty than usual. " Never mind dear. Just hurry here and let's have lunch. I'm absolutely starving. "  
  
" Okay. Give me a couple of minutes. I still have a few things to attend to. "  
  
" Who's that anyway ? " Kaoru curiously asked, wondering who could bring such an unpleasant expression to Kenshin's face.  
  
" No one important. " Kenshin answered Kaoru, covering the cell phone's mouthpiece with one hand as he turned to smile reassuringly at Kaoru's worried face. He focused his attention back onto his conversation with Megumi, deciding to end it as soon as possible. " Megumi, just wait for me okay ? "  
  
" Anything for you, baby. " smirked Megumi, before hanging up the phone.  
  
Inside though, Megumi was seething with rage. She had heard Kenshin's reply, though muffled by his hand, that SHE was ' no one important. ' She would find out whoever the other woman is, and definitely, Megumi would make her pay for trying to steal Kenshin away from her. ' Of course, Kenshin deserves a bit of punishment too for being unfaithful to me ... ' mused Megumi to herself, all the while imperceptibly using her bread knife to repeatedly stab the rosette shaped butter beside her complimentary slice of bread, into tiny pieces.  
  
Back in Kaoru's home ...  
  
" That was just a friend of mine. Her name is Megumi. " explained Kenshin, after returning his phone into his jacket pocket.  
  
Kaoru felt a stab of jealousy at hearing the name of Kenshin's friend. She couldn't understand why she suddenly felt so insecure, just because she found out that Kenshin's friend was a woman.  
  
" Anyway, I was supposed to meet her for lunch and – "  
  
" Oh, you don't have to explain that to me Kenshin. Anyway, I think you should go meet her now, since you did tell her that you'll be going to her in a few minutes. "  
  
Although these words were pouring from her mouth, Kaoru's mind was screaming the total opposite : ' I want you to tell me about her ! I don't want you to go to her ! Don't go to meet her ! ' , with ' I wish she's ugly ' as an afterthought. When her brain's message registered, Kaoru hastily chastised herself for being mean and crazy. After all, it wasn't as if she and Kenshin were a couple, not to mention the fact that technically, she herself was a married woman.  
  
Kenshin tugged at his hair and grinned regretfully. " I guess I have to go now. Once again, I'm really sorry for everything that I had said earlier. I hope you don't take them to heart. "  
  
He paused for a moment, looking at her with soulful eyes, before stepping into the sunlight. He had thought about kissing her goodbye, but then he realized that the timing was not appropriate, especially after what he had said, plus the fact that Kaoru wasn't exactly available. He had hesitated, and the practical side of him took over, forcing his feet to take step by step onto the sidewalk.  
  
Kaoru smiled feebly and nodded. She walked him to the front door, watching him walk away once more before closing the front door with a bang. She felt depleted of energy, and yet, surprisingly enough, she felt happy by the events that had happened in the morning. Although things hadn't gone that well, her wish to see Kenshin again had been granted. She had been able to explain to him why she couldn't be a witness to his case – heck, she had even been able to reveal her secret that she was married, all in one morning ! She felt that there was something missing though, something she couldn't quite identify. She shrugged. Maybe the feeling of incompleteness was due to her hunger. She hadn't been able to eat breakfast that morning, and right now, it was an hour past her usual lunch time.  
  
' Why do I find it so easy to forgive him ? I don't understand myself. ' thought Kaoru to herself, before noticing that she was extremely hungry.  
  
Kaoru plodded towards the kitchen, wondering to herself whether she should order pizza or Chinese takeout, to appease her empty stomach. In the end, she picked pizza, and made her order. She would have preferred to cook, except for the fact that she cooked horribly. The only thing she could actually make was onigiri ( rice balls ), but it would take much too long to cook rice and make them.  
  
Her stomach growled. A few seconds later, it rumbled even louder than the previous one, almost causing her to miss hearing the knocking on her door. With a frown, she shouted out loud " What or who is it ? " at whoever was knocking.  
  
" Delivery for Mrs. Kaoru Kamiya. " was the muffled reply.  
  
' It can't be the pizza already. It would take at least 20 minutes to get here. ' she thought to herself.  
  
With a sigh of resignation, Kaoru headed towards the door once more, and carefully opened it. She was greeted by the sight of a grinning redhead with gorgeous amethyst eyes, holding a piece of paper. In other words, it was Kenshin with what appeared to be a sheet of notebook paper haphazardly ripped from it's source, with some scribbles on it.  
  
" What are you doing ? "  
  
" Ahem. Excuse me miss, but I have a message from you from Mr. Himura. " answered Kenshin in a deep voice, after tipping his non-existent delivery boy's hat.  
  
" Oh really ? What is it ? " asked Kaoru, deciding to play along to whatever Kenshin was doing.  
  
Kenshin handed Kaoru a rose, and smoothened the piece of paper he was holding, and began to sing out loud.  
  
" To Kaoru : ... Yadiyadiya ... it's really boring. Wait ! Here's the good part : P.S. : I forgot to mention awhile ago, plus the fact that I'm afraid to say it to you, which is why I have sent a delivery boy to give you the message. I love you. I really do. " sang Kenshin off – key to Kaoru who was frozen in shock. Yes, he sounded terribly out of tune, plus the fact that he had made an impromptu song, but her mind couldn't get over the words of the message.  
  
" Kenshin – you love ... ? "  
  
" Ma'm, I'm just the delivery boy. I hope though that you understood Mr. Himura's message loud and clear, because really, I know that he desperately wants you to know how he feels. " The volume of Kenshin's voice suddenly dropped a few notches, as he whispered secretly to Kaoru, " I know for a fact that Mr. Himura is madly in love with you, but don't tell him that I told you that okay ? "  
  
" Kenshin ... " sniffed Kaoru, as tears threatened to come out once again, except this time it was for another reason. An overwhelming sense of happiness filled her heart. She was ecstatically delighted with Kenshin's actions. It was sweet, romantic, and so Kenshin – like.  
  
Kenshin's alarm at seeing that Kaoru was going to cry again was quickly quenched as he realized that the tears that were leaking out were tears of joy, not sadness.  
  
Kaoru looked at the rose in her hand, which Kenshin had given her and thought for a moment. " Isn't this one of the roses from Mrs. Granger's front lawn ? " she laughed.  
  
" Yeah, it is. I risked my life getting you one of those you know ? She could have easily seen me and chased me around with her broom again ! " was Kenshin's reply, causing Kaoru to shake in mirth.  
  
" ... stop acting like you're some sort of delivery boy okay ? " requested Kaoru in between giggles.  
  
" Fine, fine. " agreed Kenshin. " Does that mean I don't get a tip ? "  
  
" I don't have any money with me right now. " answered Kaoru.  
  
" I don't mean that kind of tip. I meant this – " and he kissed her deeply.  
  
In a restaurant a couple of blocks away ...  
  
Megumi furiously snapped the stem of the wine glass she was holding, as she realized that she had been stood up by Kenshin. She was oblivious to the pain and the blood dripping down from her fist, caused by the shards of glass covering her hand and the table. All she could see was ' her ' Kenshin, with someone else, instead of her.  
  
" You will pay for this. " she silently vowed, her eyes glinting with pure hatred and malice, as she made a few phone calls.  
  
" I'll make sure of it ... "  
  
  
  
to be continued ...  
  
yeah, it's NOT YET DONE ... although Kenshin and Kaoru seem to be doing really well right now, it's not yet finished ... after all, we can't leave megumi and sano and the marriage and murder problems unsolved now can we ?  
  
some of u may have gotten a bit confused about the delivery boy part ... in case u were confused, read this ok ?  
  
basically, kenshin wanted to tell kaoru his feelings, but forgot/was afraid to tell her, so he revealed it to her in a really sweet way by sending a delivery boy ( aka himself ) to tell her how he felt ... so in short, the delivery boy is him ... no, he wasn't wearing a disguise or anything ... of course he wouldn't send a real delivery boy because then it would be impersonal ... sigh, am i making sense ? ... if u still don't get it, i'm sorry ... i have no idea how to further explain it ...  
  
pls. write a review ... yes, i'm a grubby review craving fan fic writer ... aren't we all ? hehe, just kidding ... it's probably just me ... once again, look at the little purple box that comes after these words ... it says ... Click here to submit a review ... click on it ... click on it ... click on it ... honestly, if you think my fic sucks, give me constructive criticism ... in short, tell me how to improve ... thanks ... 


	10. Sorry Isn't Good Enough

DISCLAIMER : I don't own any of the characters from the anime Rurouni Kenshin  
  
  
  
READ THIS ( this is actually quite important despite being sooo long )  
  
author's notes :  
  
  
erm, hi hi hi ... sorry for taking so long to update ... hopefully you guys out there still want to read this ... i'm really doing my best to not make it boring ... anyway, i'm so glad to get the reviews u guys have been writing ... yey ! i'm so happy ... anyway, i've already finished three entrance exams ( 2 more to go ) and by jan. next year, i'll be finding out whether i'm in or not, so i can blow of my school work and write / update more often ... hehe, yeah, i know i've got a bad attitude about school ...   
  
anyway, regardless of what u read and probably will assume, this ficcy remains a pg - 13 one ... yup yup ... so this chapter is pretty long, and it's centered on kaoru and kenshin ... tons of sap and fluffiness and all that good stuff ... oh yeah, happy halloween ( yeah, i know it was a couple of days ago ) ... random bits of humor pop up here and there, but basically, this chapter's supposed to be sweet ... so enjoy ! ... one more thing - about the title, " Sorry Isn't Good Enough ' ... there's a reason for it, see if u can guess ! ( it's kinda obvious though if you have keen eyes for observation and all that )  
  
thanks again for all u guys who wrote reviews ... annoying as it may be, i'd like to remind u guys to REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! ... the more the reviews, the longer the chapter ! ^_^;  
  
ENJOY !  
  
  
  
anata ^_^  
  
  
  
Chapter Ten – Sorry Isn't Good Enough  
  
  
Back in Kaoru's home ...  
  
" Kaoru, I can't take it anymore. It's just too hot too - "  
  
" So take it off Kenshin. "  
  
" Will that be okay ? I mean, you won't mind if I do that ? "  
  
" Go ahead Kenshin. As long as it makes it easier for us to finish. "  
  
" Like this Kaoru ? Am I doing it right ? "  
  
" Oh yes. That is soooo good Kenshin. Where did you learn how to do that ? "  
  
" It's a secret, " winked Kenshin, as he quickly took off the potholders he had been using to carry the extremely hot pot of water he had just used to cook the pasta.  
  
" I'm impressed that you can cook so well, " smiled Kaoru, as she stirred the spaghetti sauce simmering over low heat on the stove, noting how he blushed in happiness at her compliment.  
  
" At least after this we won't be so hungry anymore. "  
  
Both nodded in agreement as their tummies grumbled in hunger.  
  
After the whole delivery boy scenario, both of them were sweaty and exhausted. Kaoru and Kenshin had ended up spending the whole afternoon together, doing what couples do best together - cooking ! The food delivery never arrived, so in order to appease their hunger for both food and each other, they decided to whip up some spaghetti and salad. In between Kaoru's discovery of Kenshin's amazing knife and cooking skills, the two shared a passionate kiss or two, which nearly led to the burning of the kitchen down, as well as some other untimely accidents. In short, they were having the time of their lives.   
  
While mixing the herbs with the tomato sauce, Kaoru noticed Kenshin staring at him. Apparently, she had a dollop of sauce near her lips, which was tempting him endlessly. He couldn't resist kissing her there and one thing led to another. Pretty soon, Kaoru was lying atop the kitchen table being smothered with kisses. Kenshin paused for a second to marvel at the delectable sight which Kaoru presented in her sauce covered apron. She was wearing no make-up, her hair was tied messily into a ponytail, her baggy clothes were stained with tomato sauce - and despite all this, she was beautiful to him.  
  
" Kaoru, you're one hot tomato ! Your lips are as red as this spaghetti sauce, your - " teased Kenshin, loving the way she blushed beet red whenever he complimented her. He knew that his pick - up lines and compliments weren't exactly up to standards, but as long as they made Kaoru smile, he wouldn't mind making a fool of himself trying.  
  
" Kenshin, " interrupted Kaoru, as her face suddenly turned serious.  
  
" Yeah ? "  
  
" Shut up and kiss me, " she whispered, as she pulled him towards her with an incredible force.   
  
... and kiss her he did. Kenshin found that he enjoyed her sudden assertiveness. He was glad to know that she wanted him as much as he desired her. It bothered him a bit, to discover that for once in his life, he was worried about whether he was enough to please a woman. He wanted to make sure Kaoru derived as much pleasure as he got from kissing her. He needed to make sure.   
  
All thoughts of cooking disappeared from Kaoru's head as soon as Kenshin's lips touched hers. She was enraptured by his enigmatic eyes, by his caresses, and most of all, by his gentleness. She had noticed a look in Keshin's eyes, that touched her deeply. Beneath all that harshness and sensuality, lurked another person - someone she wanted to get to know more. He was an enigma - both a ruthless and successful businessman, as well as a loving and kind man. Underneath all that, she could sense a feeling of uncertainty and insecurity. Kenshin may not admit it, but he wanted someone to care for him as well. That morning, when he had come to her for help, Kaoru had vowed to herself to say no. It was only when she saw that look in his eyes, that look which made her want to envelop him into her arms, that her walls broke down. That was why she let him into her home. Now, there was no room for regrets. Now, she kissing him, a man she hardly knew. Despite this, Kaoru didn't feel afraid.   
  
Kaoru gently traced Kenshin's jawline with her delicate fingers, enjoying the feeling of being wanted. She was a bit nervous about where this scenario may lead to, but she pushed the butterfiles in her stomach aside. Granted, she wasn't quite sure if she loved him - yet, but she was certain that she liked Kenshin. A lot. He was fun, daring, and sexy. Kenshin was just so different from ... She quickly pushed those thoughts aside. What mattered most at the moment was that she was with Kenshin.   
  
In his concentration on Kaoru, Kenshin accidentally knocked over the bowls on the table. The containers went flying into the air, showering them with various items of food. In seconds, the kitchen floor was covered with parmesan cheese, salad dressing, and tufts of lettuce.   
  
" Who knew cooking could be so sensual - erm, I mean fun ! " joked Kenshin, as he guiltily surveyed the damage he had caused to the poor defenseless kitchen.   
  
Kaoru frowned at him and began to clean up  
  
Suddenly, Kenshin didn't feel quite so hungry anymore. A feeling of dread washed over him, as he stood there watching her clean up the mess on the table. Had he actually made her angry ? He prayed to the heavens that he hadn't. With a sinking feeling, he remembered that he had disrupted her day, forced his way into her home, and to top it off, he had just ruined their lunch. He was in deep sh*t now and he knew it.   
  
" I - I'm sorry, " he ventured.  
  
" Sorry isn't good enough Kenshin, " replied Kaoru.  
  
She turned her back to him, and continued fixing the mess. Had Kenshin not been wallowing in extreme misery, he would have noticed the smile Kaoru was desperately trying to conceal.  
  
Kenshin hastily began to clean up as well. Worriedly, he approachd Kaoru, wondering how he could make things better. This sort of situation was totally new to him. First of all, he had never actually acted like some sort of stalker. In fact, he was the one who had to deal with multitudes of women who followed him around. Secondly, he had never cooked with someone with him. Normally, he would eat in some fancy restaurant with a name people can't pronounce, or his army of chefs would cook him a filet mignon or something of that sort, or he would cook on his own. Basically, he didn't know what to do. He took a deep breath and decided to do what a man must do. He tapped her on the shoulders and braced himself for the inevitable confrontation.  
  
Kaoru whirled around and smeared spaghetti sauce on Kenshin's face, giggling at the shocked expression that covered Kenshin's now sauce - painted face. She saucily put her hands on her hips and blew him a raspberry.   
  
Kenshin's surprise quickly wore off and bubbled into laughter as he watched Kaoru sticking her tongue out at him and doing some sort of victory dance. He made no attempt to wipe of the sauce on his face. He merely eyed her hungrily, wondering how on earth had Kaoru managed to become even more appealing than ever. With a mock - ferocious growl, he grabbed her by the waist and began tickling her mercilessly. It was his turn to get even.   
  
" Stop it ! Stop ! Hahaha ! " choked out Kaoru, as she and Kenshin rolled on the floor.  
  
" Not until you say - "  
  
" Uncle! Uncle! " chortled Kaoru, as he continued to tickle her.  
  
" Nope. Wrong. I'll stop when you say ' Kenshin is the greatest kisser in the world ! " replied Kenshin, enjoying himself immensely. It's not often one gets a woman completely under one's mercy.  
  
" I won't say it. "   
  
" Oh ? Why not Kaoru ? " asked Kenshin, puzzled with her answer, as he continued to torture her with tickles.  
  
" You have to prove it to me first Kenshin ! " winked Kaoru.  
  
With a gigantic grin on his face, Kenshin stopped his movements, shifted his weight to a more comfortable position, and slowly bent his head towards hers. He was more than willing to accept her challenge.   
  
Two hours later, after they had kissed a lot and had made the kitchen spotless, taken separate showers, and made impromptu sandwiches from whatever leftovers they could find in the fridge, both Kaoru and Kenshin flopped down onto the couch and fell asleep in each others arms.   
  
Kaoru suddenly jolted awake as she remembered the karate class she had to teach in the afternoon. If she hurried right now, she would still be able to make it on time.  
  
" I have to go now, " whispered Kaoru drowsily, as she stood up.  
  
" Why ? " asked Kenshin, as he quickly pulled her back down onto his lap, just like he had the last 4 times she had tried to stand up.  
  
She laughed a bit at his childlike actions, and unknowingly retaliated by wiggling around in an attempt to find a more comfortable spot to lean against. Her hair, brushing against his face and her body's movements were practically an invitation to Kenshin. She was torturing him, arousing him without even realizing it. It took Kenshin his entire self - control to prevent himself from flipping her onto the couch and covering her entire body with kisses. He was going insane trying to ignore her actions, while she was having fun.  
  
" I have a class to go to, after all, I am the owner of the Kamiya dojo. I don't want to be late and knowing you, Kenshin, I may end up very very late. Anyway, don't you also have somewhere else to go ? Being who you are, I'd assume that you'd have tons of business matters to attend to. "  
  
" Yeah, I do. " nodded Kenshin. " ... but to spend the afternoon with you, I'd gladly skip all of them. "  
  
With a sigh, Kaoru grabbed Kenshin's hands and pulled him onto his feet. She had practically melted at the sweetness of what he had just said - but there were things that had to be done, responsiblities she couldn't avoid. So she dragged the unwilling Kenshin with her out of the door, pausing only to lock the front door behind her. With a smile on her face, she kissed the pouting Kenshin on the cheek and shoved him towards the direction from which he had come that morning.   
  
Kenshin would have faced her with the most adorable pout he could muster, and have hugged her. What stopped him was his pride. He couldn't believe that such thoughts were even crossing his mind. From a regular Don Juan, he had become so lovesick lover mooning over his woman, in less than a day. Surely, there was something wrong with him.   
  
' Maybe I'm sick. ' thought Kenshin to himself, as he contemplated this weird feeling he had in his tummy.   
  
" Bye Kenshin ! " waved Kaoru, as she stepped into her car.  
  
" Wait ! " shouted Kenshin, as he approached her car.  
  
Kaoru rolled down the window and looked at him expectantly, wondering what he had to say.  
  
" I'll call you tonight okay ? I'd actually want to know more about you, other than the fact that you're married and all. Is that okay with you ? " he asked.  
  
" Sure ! I'd love it if you did. " smiled Kaoru. She kissed him on the lips before driving away. A feeling of incredible happiness filled her, as she thought of being able to talk to him again later. Just being with him made her feel happier than she could ever remember feeling. He made her feel ... loved.  
  
When she had finally left, Kenshin began walking towards his car parked a block away. His hands were in his pockets, he was whistling some opening song of an anime that had managed to subconsciously enter his mind during those times he had chanced upon Misao watching tv early in the morning.   
  
When he reached his car, his cell phone began to ring. He pressed the answer button, and sighed in annoyance. It was Megumi. Again. This time, when she spoke on the phone, she had a big smile reminiscient of that of the Cheshire Cat's grin, on her face.  
  
" Kenshin darling, I want to see you later. Come to my house okay ? " cooed Megumi, her voice silky and seductive. Her voice oozed warmthness, contrary to what she had been feeling just hours ago when she had discovered Kenshin was with another woman.  
  
" Sorry Megumi. "  
  
" Sorry isn't good enough, Kenshin. " replied Megumi angrily, her voice shaking slightly.  
  
" I'm busy later so I can't go to you, " answered Kenshin, as he impatiently looked at his watch. He wanted this unpleasant phone call to end, so he could go home and make reservations for dinner for two. He couldn't wait to call Kaoru later and invite her out to dinner, after all, he did ruin their lunch.  
  
Only a slight narrowing of her eyes belied Megumi's wrath at his answer. She wasn't going to give up that easily, not after she had worked so hard to make Kenshin hers. She wasn't going to lose him to some unknown woman from god knows where. It didn't matter to her though, whether Kenshin loved her or not. What was important was that he would be hers, and definitely, Megumi was willing to do anything to make sure that happened.  
  
" I'm sure you can easily make arrangements in your schedule to come see me. " replied Megumi, as her hand tightened around the phone. He was beginning to really piss her off.  
  
" I told you Megumi, I can't because - "   
  
" I know what you did last night. " interrupted Megumi, as a look of steely triumph flashed over her face. Gone were the warmth and seductiveness from her voice. All that was left was pure venom, accented by a dash of victory.   
  
Kenshin was speechless.  
  
Megumi licked her lips and smiled like a cat that has just swallowed a canary. She knew what his answer would be. He had no choice but to come.   
  
  
  
to be continued ...  
  
yes, i know that i haven't finished it yet ... i can't help it ... the storyline just keeps getting longer and longer ... too much details ... would it be better if i shaved off some of the details and made the plot go faster ? like instead of " Megumi licked her lips and smiled like a ... " i'll just write " Megumi smiled. " ... haha, i don't know ... i guess i just write weirdly ... *shrug* the details just keep flowing out while i type ... did you get why this chapter's entitled " Sorry Isn't Good Enough ? " ... hehehe ... silly huh ?  
  
to answer some people's questions ...   
  
- Megumi did not actually see Kenshin and Kaoru together, but she did overhear Kenshin talking to a woman on the phone, so she assumed that Kenshin was cheating on her ...   
  
- yup, i'm going to go in depth about Kaoru and Sano's relationship, eventually ... ^_^;  
  
- ... and yes ArtemisMoon, i luv reading ur reviews ... thanks to everyone else who have been kind enough to take the time to send in one ...   
  
out of curiosity, does anyone actually read this ? ( the author's notes and all ? ) ... anyway, it would be great to hear of what you guys think of this chapter, soooo ...  
  
pls. write a review ... yes, i'm a grubby review craving fan fic writer ... aren't we all ? hehe, just kidding ... it's probably just me ... once again, look at the little purple box that comes after these words ... it says ... Click here to submit a review ... click on it ... click on it ... click on it ... honestly, if you think my fic sucks, give me constructive criticism ... in short, tell me how to improve ... thanks ... 


End file.
